A   SKETCH 


OF     THE 


LIFE  AND  PUBLIC  SERVICES 


MAJ.  GEN.  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 


UNITED     STATES    ARMY. 


WITH     A     PORTRAIT. 


FROM     THE     DEMOCRATIC     REVIEW, 

NOVEMBER,     1851. 


Nero-lark: 

ETTEL  L'  &    MOORE, 
170    BROADWAY. 


1851. 


n 


^5 


MAJOR    GENERAL   U.S.  ARMY 


A   SKETCH 


OF     THE 


LIFE  AND  PUBLIC  SERVICES 


OF 


MAJ.  GEN.  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 


UNITED     STATES    AEMY. 


WITH     A     PORTRAIT. 


FROM    THE     DEMOCRATIC    REVIEW, 

NOVEMBER,     1851. 


Neto-JJork : 

KETTELL    &    MOORE, 
170    BROADWAY. 

1851. 


Bancroft  Library 


MAJOR  GENERAL  JOHN  E.  WOOL, 

UNITED    STATES    ARMY. 


A  PROMINENT  feature  of  American  character  is  the  wonderful  facility 
with  which  the  man  embraces  the  opportunity,  the  instinctiveness  with 
which  genius  avails  itself  of  an  opening  for  its  development,  and  the  rare 
energy  with  which  it  displays  itself  amidst  the  most  discouraging  circum 
stances.  Never  was  a  nation  more  affluent  in  men  of  genius,  and  never 
were  institutions  more  admirably  adapted  to  their  scope.  In  every  prac 
tical  department  of  life,  the  highest  intellect  has  been  found  equal  to  the 
most  trying  exigencies.  Hence  it  is,  that  whether  upon  the  land,  or  on  the 
ocean,  in  the  machinery  of  industry,  of  legislation,  of  defence,  or  of  con 
quest,  in  every  branch  of  practical  science,  America  has  taken  the  lead, 
and  offered  the  world  examples  of  the  greatest  excellence.  In  the  rapid 
advance  of  the  civilized  world  during  the  last  half  century  towards  the 
amelioration  of  the  condition  of  the  human  race,  some  self-taught  Ameri 
can  intellect  has  prompted  each  important  step,  and  consolidated  each 
forward  movement ;  and  the  recent  campaigns  in  Mexico  have  shown  the 
world  how  even  the  horrors  of  war  may  be  softened,  and  desolation  of 
conquest  converted  into  blessings,  by  the  military  skill  and  administrative 
genius  of  American  commanders.  In  this  view,  the  Mexican  campaign  of 
General  John  E.  Wool  will  stand  out  in  history  as  a  model  campaign. 

General  Wool  is  emphatically  a  self-made  man.  Every  step  of  his  pro 
motion  has  been  gained  by  substantial  services,  and  nothing  by  favor. 
Feebly  supported  by  professing  and  lukewarm  friends,  and  opposed  by 
calumniators  and  enemies,  he  has  forced  his  way  without  faltering  over  the 
roughest  paths  of  life,  with  a  firm  step  and  a  stout  heart ;  and,  without 
being  trumpeted  into  a  transient  notoriety,  has  cut  his  path  to  glory  with 
his  own  sword.  Although  he  has  been  his  own  schoolmaster,  yet  it  must 
not  be  understood  that  he  disdains  to  swell  the  volume  of  his  knowledge 
from  the  humblest  as  well  as  the  highest  sources.  Without  other  military 
education  than  the  instincts  of  his  own  genius,  he  left  the  counting-house 
at  the  darkest  period  of  our  military  history,  and,  almost  by  his  single 
arm,  turned  the  tide  of  conquest,  raised  our  drooping  banner  from  the 
dust,  reanimated  the  troops,  and  revived  the  hopes  of  the  nation  ;  subse 
quently,  for  twenty-five  years,  he  was,  as  inspector  general,  the  •'  back 
bone"  of  our  military  system.  He  kept  up  the  efficiency  of  our  little  force, 
and,  when  the  army  of  occupation  was  trembling  on  the  brink  of  destruc 
tion,  his  incredible  energies  prepared,  in  six  weeks,  the  material  of  succor 
and  of  conquest,  and  then  pressed  forward  at  the  head  of  a  column,  nine 
hundred  miles  into  the  heart  of  an  enemy's  country,  without  spilling  one 
drop  of  blood ;  yet  converting  enemies  into  friends  by  protecting  them, 
not  only  from  the  rapacity  of  his  own  troops,  but  from  the  inroads  of  sav 
ages  ;  acting  the  part  of  leader,  conqueror,  pacificator,  protector,  admin 
istrator,  and  dispenser  of  justice  ;  and  leaving  on  his  path  peace,  security 
and  plenty,  all  of  which  were  before  strangers  in  the  country,  crowning  his 
campaign  by  the  display  of  a  combative  genius  and  a  fiercer  energy  in 
conflict,  for  which  the  considerate  kindness  of  his  march  had  prepared 
neither  friends  nor  foes. 


The  ancestors  of  General  Wool  emigrated  early  to  New- York,  and,  at 
once,  became  devoted  to  the  interests  of  their  adopted  country.  James 
Woo],  the  grandfather  of  the  Major-General,  a  respectable  farmer,  lived 
on  his  own  farm  in  Schaghticoke,  in  the  county  of  Rensselaer ;  and  when 
the  Revolutionary  War  commenced,  was  almost  on  the  frontier,  and  ex 
posed  to  the  incursions,  not  only  of  the  Indians  and  the  British  from  Can 
ada,  but  to  the  depredations  of  the  Tories,  with  which  the  country  abound 
ed,  and  whose  feelings  were  much  embittered  against  the  patriots,  to  whose 
principles  he  was  enthusiastically  attached.  Under  such  circumstances,  he 
frequently  carried  arms  into  the  fields  which  he  cultivated. 

Of  the  sons  of  James  Wool,  five  bore  arms  in  the  war  of  the  Revolu 
tion.  Two  were  made  prisoners  at  the  capture  of  Fort  Washington,  and 
underwent  the  horrors  of  imprisonment  in  the  New- Jersey  Prison-ship.  One 
died  of  his  sufferings,  and  the  other  barely  escaped  with  his  life.  Another 
was  a  captain  in  Lamb's  Regiment  of  Artillery,  and  went  with  Mont 
gomery  in  his  expedition  to  Quebec.  Afterwards  he  was  under  the  com 
mand  of  Washington  in  New- Jersey ;  and  in  one  of  the  battles  in  that 
state  he  was  so  severely  wounded,  that  for  a  long  time  he  was  unable  to 
do  duty.  Another — the  father  of  Major-General  Wool,  was  with  Gen. 
Wayne  in  the  storming  of  Stony  Point.  Another  was  with  Stark  at  the 
battle  of  Benriington,  and  another  of  the  name,  a  great  uncle,  was  one  of 
the  Committee  of  Safety  in  the  city  of  New-York  in  the  early  part  of  the 
Revolution,  and  afterwards  an  Alderman  of  that  city. 

General  Wool  was  born  at  Newburgh,  Orange  county,  and  had  barely 
completed  the  fourth  year  of  his  age,  when  his  father  died.  He  was  then 
taken  into  the  family  of  his  grandfather.  During  his  residence  with  him, 
he  attended  a  common  country  school.  At  the  age  of  12  years,  with  a 
scanty  education,  he  entered  the  store  of  a  merchant  in  Troy,  with  whom 
he  continued  till  he  was  18,  when  he  was  induced  to  take  charge  of  a  book 
and  stationary  stove,  with  the  privilege  of  selling  merchandise  on  his  own  ac 
count.  He  thus  continued  until  his  hopes  were  blasted  by  fire,  when  he 
entered  upon  the  study  of  the  law,  at  the  office  of  John  Russell,  an  emi 
nent  lawyer  in  Troy,  and  pursued  with  great  assiduity  the  study  of  the  law 
for  more  than  one  year. 

At  this  period  there  were  strong  indications  of  a  war  with  Great  Britain, 
and  Congress  authorized  an  additional  force  of  25,000  men.  The  expecta 
tion  of  war  induced  Wool  to  seek  an  appointment  in  the  army,  when,  on 
the  recommendation  of  Governor  Clinton  and  others,  he  was,  in  the  spring 
of  1812,  just  before  the  declaration  of  war,  appointed  a  captain  in  the 
13th  Regiment  U.  S.  Infantry.  He  immediately  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  his  office,  and  after  recruiting  his  company,  joined  his  regiment  at  Green- 
bush,  where  he  continued  till  September,  when  the  regiment  was  ordered 
to  the  Niagara  frontier.  On  th3  arrival  of  the  regiment  at  Onondaga,  five 
companies,  under  the  command  of  Lieut  Col.  Christie,  were  detached  and 
ordered  to  Niagara  by  way  of  Lake  Ontario. 

The  success  of  the  allied  armies  in  Europe  against  the  immortal  French 
emperor  had  imparted  a  color  of  invincibility  to  British  arms,  and  there 
were  not  wanting  the  usual  base  tools  of  tyranny  operating  through  the 
pulpit,  prostituted  as  on  a  recent  occasion,  to  the  schemes  of  English  in 
triguers,  to  lend  effect  to  that  delusion,  and  to  attempt,  by  internal  strife, 
to  prostrate  the  country  at  the  feet  of  England.  An  unfortunate  Fcries  of 
events  had  aided  to  discourage  the  people  and  to  dishonor  the  flag.  The 


declaration  of  war  found  the  country  unprepared  for  defence,  with  a 
large  party  in  the  country  in  the  British  interests ;  nevertheless,  the  war 
commenced,  and  the  honor  of  opening  the  campaign  was  conferred  upon 
General  William  Hull,  upon  whose  unfortunate  proceedings  it  is  not  here 
necessary  to  dwell.  The  fact  was,  that  the  nation's  character  was  de 
graded,  and  a  strong  effort  was  necessary  to  retrieve  its  honor.  It  was  at 
this  moment  that  General  Stephen  Van  Rensselaer  determined  to  cross 
the  Niagara  River,  storm  Fort  George,  and  carry  the  heights  of  Queens- 
town.  The  time  fixed  for  the  latter  operation  was  October  13th,  1812. 
The  American  general,  Van  Rensselaer,  had  under  his  command,  at  different 
points,  about  5,800  troops — the  British  general,  Brock,  about,  2,800 ;  the 
head-quarters  of  the  latter  being  at  Fort  George.  On  the  morning  of  the 
13th,  about  3  o'clock,  a  detachment  of  600  moved  to  Lewiston  under 
Lieut.  Colonels  Chrystie  and  Van  Rensselaer,  but  instead  of  finding  boats 
for  the  whole  detachment,  there  were  only  boats  for  one-half.  The  com 
panies  of  Captains  Wool,  Malcolm  and  Armstrong  were  ordered  to  cross 
in  one  party,  while  Col.  Van  Rensselaer  followed  with  another.  As  Captain 
Wool,  the  senior  officer  of  the  companies  of  the  loth  regiment,  landed, 
the  British  retreated.  Meantime  the  colonel  landed  a  short  distance  above 
the  place  where  Captain. Wool  landed.  Col.  Van  Rensselaer  soon  sent 
orders  to  Captain  Wool  to  advance  on  the  heights  and  halt  at  their  base, 
which  movement  was  made.  Whilst  thus  in  line,  waiting  further  orders, 
the  13th  was  severely  attacked  on  its  right  flank,  by  a  British  party  from 
the  village  of  Queenstown,  or  from  that  direction.  Captain  Wool,  without 
waiting  orders  from  Van  Rensselaer,  ordered  the  13th  to  the  right,  front 
ing  the  enemy,  who  were  finally  repulsed  and  driven  towards  Queenstown ; 
but  not  until  they  had  inflicted  a  severe  loss  on  the  Americans.  Of  the 
13th  Infantry,  Lieutenants  Valleau  and  Morris,  with  a  due  proportion  of 
non-commissioned  officers  and  privates,  were  killed,  and  Captain  Wool 
was  shot  through  both  thighs  ;  Malcolm  and  Armstrong,  and  Lieutenant 
Lent,  were  badly  wounded.  Of  the  ten  officers  of  the  13th,  in  this,  ac 
tion,  only  four  escaped  injury.  Colonel  Van  Rensselaer  having  been 
severely  wounded,  and  Chrystie  not  having  crossed,  an  order  was  given  to 
descend  to  the  beach.  Here  the  Colonel  sank  to  the  ground,  exhausted 
by  the  flow  of  blood,  when  Captain  Wool,  notwithstanding  his  wounds, 
volunteered  to  storm  the  heights.  Van  Rensselaer  was  unwilling  to 
commit  an  enterprise  so  hazardous  and  important  to  the  direction  of 
so  young  an  officer,  who,  until  that  morning,  had  experienced  no  actual 
service;  yet,  coerced  by  the  necessity  of  the  circumstances,  his  scruples 
gave  way,  and  Wool  received  his  orders.  Being  gallantly  seconded  by 
his  officers,  Wool  commenced  the  ascent.  Captain  Wool,  under  the  high 
excitement  of  martial  enthusiasm,  was  insensible  to  physical  suffering  or 
the  pain  of  his  wounds,  and  effected  the  ascent,  apparently,  with  as  little 
difficulty  as  others.  The  soldiers,  supporting  themselves  by  their  mus 
kets,  finally  gained  the  eminence  in  rear  of  the  battery,  and  this  daring 
enterprise  was  crowned  with  complete  success.  A  detachment  of  the 
49th  British  regiment,  which  defended  the  battery,  was  driven  down  the 
heights,  and  the  Americans  took  possession,  and,  at  sunrise,  the  flag  of 
their  country,  surmounting  the  works,  proclaimed  the  triumph. 

General  Brock,  aroused  by  these  events,  hastened  from  Fort  George, 
gathered  a  large  force,  attacked  Captain  Wool's  gallant  band  with  such 
impetuosity,  as  to  drive  them  to  the  brow  of  the  cliff*.  This  was  a  trying 


6 

moment.  Before  them  were  the  British  veterans,  to  meet  whom  was  a 
fearful  odds — behind  them  was  an  almost  perpendicular  cliff,  to  be  forced 
down  which  was  sure  destruction  ;  and  it  is  not  strange  that  some  hearts 
faltered.  A  dastard  hand  raised  the  white  flag  in  token  of  surrender,  but 
Captain  Wool  tore  down  this  flag,  made  a  manly  appeal  to  his  men, 
checked  the  panic,  caused  his  little  band  again  to  become  the  assailants, 
and  drove  the  British  veterans  down  the  heights.  But  General  Brock 
rallied  his  troops  anew,  and  again  advanced  upon  the  Americans.  In 
doing  this,  however,  he  fell  dead  from  his  horse,  when  his  men  flew  in 
every  direction,  leaving  ten  prisoners  behind  on  the  field. 

Thus,  after  three  bloody  fights,  this  bold  and  daring  enterprise  was 
achieved  by  two  hundred  and  forty  men,  instead  of  six  hundred  detailed 
for  the  service.  Captain  Wool  formed  his  men  on  the  heights,  and  was 
soon  joined  by  other  detachments.  This  was  about  ten  o'clock.  About 
two  o'clock,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Scott — now  General  Scott — and  others 
appeared,  and  took  the  command,  while,  after  General  Van  Rensselaer 
arrived,  Captain  Wool  was  ordered  from  the  field,  his  wound  dressed,  and 
he  returned  to  Lewiston. 

These  deeds  were  done  by  a  young  American  officer,  in  battle  for  the 
first  time,  whose  blood,  during  all  these  fights,  was  streaming  from  two 
wounds.  It  was  no  ordinary  duty  that  devolved  on  him.  In  his  first 
engagement  he  was  surrounded  with  the  direst  perils  of  war,  and  saw  it 
in  its  most  terrific  aspect.  His  bark  was  launched  on  the  "  sea  of  glory," 
when  the  storms  were  raging  over  its  waters.  Under  such  circumstances, 
not  only  the  highest  qualities  of  the  soldier,  but  the  nerve  and  energy, 
and  martial  enthusiasm  of  a  hero,  were  indispensable  to  success.  The 
American  arms  were  saved  from  disgrace  and  covered  with  glory,  by  the 
unyielding  firmness  of  one  man  ;  and  a  moral  example  was  given,  which, 
like  that  of  Bunker  Hill,  imparted  its  invigorating  influence  to  all  the 
subsequent  transactions  of  the  war.  The  light  which  spread  its  radiance 
over  the  plains  of  Niagara  and  New-Orleans,  first  dawned  on  the  heights 
of  Queenstown. 

Official  letters  and  the  public  journals  abound  with  encomiums  on  the 
gallantry  of  Captain  Wool  and  his  brave  comrades.  The  National  Intelli 
gencer  (1812)  says :  "  Captain  Wool,  the  hero  of  the  heights  of  Queens- 
town,  is  twenty-three  years  of  age.  It  is  presumed  he  will  be  breveted  or 
promoted. 

This  promotion  immediately  followed,  for  Captain  Wool  was  made 
major.  He  continued  in  the  army  on  the  northern  frontier  and  in  the 
29th  regiment  of  foot,  volunteering  his  services  wherever  there  was  danger 
to  be  met,  or  duty  to  be  performed.  More  especially  did  Major  Wool 
distinguish  himself  by  his  usual  coolness  and  intrepidity  in  the  battle  of 
Pittsburgh,  in  1814,  from  the  6th  to  the  llth  of  September.  The  action 
at  Beekmantown  took  place  on  the  6th,  and  Major  Wool  was  its  hero. 
General  Macomb,  while  he  was  entrenching  on  the  Saranac,  ordered  Ma 
jor  Wool  to  support  the  militia,  and  with  250  regular  troops,  and  the 
militia  under  Col.  Miller,  he  kept  the  whole  British  column  of  4000  at 
bay — fighting  them  inch  by  inch,  and  killing  or  wounding  nearly  two 
hundred  of  the  enemy.  General  Macomb  (Sept.  15,  1814)  mentioned 
Major  Wool's  services,  and  recommended  him  to  the  particular  notice  of 
the  government.  General  Mooers'  general  orders  of  Sept.  13,  1814 — 
commander  of  the  militia — were  also  full  as  to  "  the  cool,  intrepid  and  ad- 


mirable  skill  and  good  order  displayed"  by  the  regulars  "  under  that  ex- 
cellent  officer,  Major  Wool." 

For  his  bravery  on  this  occasion,  Major  Wool  was  breveted  lieutenant- 
colonel.  Well  did  General  Viele  say  to  General  Wool,  in  an  address 
made  to  him  in  1848  :  "  The  bloody  Saranac  will  never  cease  to  murmur 
your  praise;"  and  Governor  Young,  of  New- York,  in  presenting  him 
(1848)  with  a  sword,  remarked,  that  "  the  people  of  the  whole  country  saw 
Captain  Wool  at  Queenstown,  marking  his  course  with  his  own  blood, 
and  Major  Wool,  at  Plattsburgh  and  at  Beekmantown  gallantly  resisting, 
with  250  men,  the  whole  British  line,  embracing  4000  regular  troops." 
It  was  such  noble  gallantry  that  redeemed  the  stain  that  had  been  fixed 
on  our  national  character,  and  gave  such  joy  to  the  patriotic  part  of  the 
nation. 

The  government  at  Washington  felt  the  importance  of  such  an  officer 
as  Colonel  Wool,  and  in  1816  he  was  made  Inspector  General,  he  having 
selected  that  from  three  appointments  offered  him,  because  it  offered  the 
greatest  scope  for  usefulness.  In  1821  the  office  was  enlarged  from  in 
spector  of  division  to  inspector-general  of  the  army. 

It  was  this  long  experience  and  indefatigable  attention  to  business  con 
centrated  in  General  Wool,  which  made  him  the  soul  of  the  Mexican  war, 
and  produced  those  marvellous  results  from  a  volunteer  force  which  have 
so  astonished  the  world.  It  has  been  said  in  regard  to  our  navy,  that  a 
more  rigid  discipline  is  necessary  on  shipboard,  than  in  the  navies  of 
monarchical  governments,  because  there  is  with  us  no  rank  on  shore.  That 
is  to  say,  while  in  England  the  officer  comes  from  a  family  which  occupies 
a  social  position  on  shore  far  above  that  of  the  seaman,  the  habitual  re 
spect  of  the  latter  comes  in  aid  of  discipline.  In  the  United  States  nothing 
of  the  kind  exists,  but  the  social  position  of  the  subaltern  officer  on  shore 
may  be  higher  than  that  of  his  superior.  So  also  in  the  army,  a  higher 
degree  of  discipline  is  necessary  to  sustain  its  efficiency  for  many  reasons. 
This  is  peculiarly  the  case  with  the  eastern  division.  It  is  distributed  in 
small  commands  on  a  seacoast  and  inland  frontier  to  the  extent  of 
thousands  of  miles ;  consequently,  the  troops  being  withdrawn  from  the  im 
mediate  supervision  of  the  chief  commanders,  require  the  greatest  vigilance 
and  attention  to  prevent  them  from  relaxing  into  idleness  and  dissipation. 
In  order  to  remedy  this  in  some  degree,  the  government  arranged  the  dis 
tricts  into  departments;  and  giving  to  each  a  responsible  commander,  all 
their  commands  were  subject  to  the  continued  inspection  of  General  Wool. 
In  the  course  of  these  duties,  he  was  required  to  visit  every  post,  ascertain 
the  exact  condition  of  every  company,  its  state  of  efficiency  and  discipline 
and  to  examine  into  the  causes  of  deficiency,  whether  physical  or  moral, 
estimate  the  capacity,  habits  and  attention  of  each  officer,  and  keep  the 
government  constantly  informed  of  the  means  of  improvement.  It  may 
be  interesting  to  some  of  our  military  readers  to  glance  at  the  nature  of 
the  reports  rendered  to  the  government  at  Washington,  commencing  in 
1816,  and  running  through  a  quarter  of  a  century  : 

ARTICLE  I. CORPS  OF  ARTILLERY. 

"  No  arm  of  the  service  is  of  more  importance  to  this  country,  in  peace  or 
war,  than  the  corps  of  artillery ;  and  none  re.quires  so  much  the  attention  of 
G-overnment.  The  very  nature  of  its  service  contemplates  essentially  all  that 
relates  to  the  science  and  practice  of  war,  including  the  duties  of  the  engineer,  the 


8 

ordnance  and  the  infantry  officer,  which  connect  it  with  the  mechanic  arts,  as 
well  as  the  materials  common  to  all  arms.  Those  circumstances,  together  with 
its  occupation  of  the  important  posts  on  the  seaboard,  ought,  at  least,  to  make 
it  the  most  perfect,  if  not  the  most  efficient  corps  of  the  army.  It  is,  however, 
to  be  greatly  regretted,  that  the  officers  of  this  corps  have  not  app'i  ed  themselves 
more  attentively  to  the  study  of  this  extensive  branch  of  service.  While  many 
have  been  perfectly  satisfied  at  an  inspection  with  the  exhibition  of  a  good  police, 
a  knowledge  of  artillery  drill,  and  the  performance  of  a  few  infantry  evolutions ; 
the  high  duties  of  artillery,  the  due  care  and  preservation  of  public  property,  and 
economy  in  the  expenditure  of  the  public  money,  have  not  appeared  of  sufficient 
importance  to  attract  their  serious  notice." 

DISCIPLINE  OF  BATTALIONS. 

"First  Battalion,  commanded  by  Brevet  Col. ,  composed  of  Capt. , 

,  and ,   Companies.     The  first,   Capt. ,  stationed  at  ,  was  in 

good  order ;  and  the  public  property  at  that  post,  as  far  as  practicable,  in  a  state 
of  preservation. 

"  The  second  was  in  bad  order.     The  commandant,  Capt. ,  has  neither 

capacity  nor  industry  sufficient  to  make  a  good  artillerist ;  consequently,  I  have 
no  hopes  of  his  excelling  as  an  officer,  or  of  seeing  his  company  in  high  order. 

"  The  third,  Capt. ,  was,  as  usual,  in  a  condition  wholly  inadmissible,  a 

stranger  to  discipline,  without  system,   order,  or  regularity.     As  Capt.  is 

under  arrest,  I  deem  it  a  measure  of  prudence  to  spare  him  for  the  present. 

"  The  fourth  excels  in  personal  appearance,  but  deficient  in  a  knowledge  of 
artillery  duty,  and  is  perfect  neither  in  police  nor  infantry  drills. 

"  The  companies  of  this  battalion,  collectively  considered,  can  claim  no  merit 
or  praise ;  on  the  contrary,  most  of  them  being  deficient  in  most  of  their  duties, 
deserve  censure." 

Throughout  the  whole  army,  embracing  military  academy,  infantry, 
light  infantry,  artillery,  cavalry,  &c.,  the  inspection  of  corps  was  carried 
to  a  great  degree  of  minuteness.  These  inspections  extend  to  all  the 
public  property,  its  condition,  and  the  means  of  preserving  it;  while  the 
expenditure  of  the  government  are  ever  carefully  watched. 

"  The  application  of  oil  and  paint  to  guns  and  carriages  not  in  use,  are  not 
required  oftener  than  once  in  two  or  three  years,  if  properly  applied  in  the  first 
instance.  At  Charleston  I  examined  a  number  of  dismounted  guns  which  had 
been  cleaned  and  painted  more  than  two  years  since,  and  although  exposed 
during  that  period  to  the  weather,  they  appeared  as  if  only  put  in  order  a  few 
days  before.  If  all  the  guns  on  the  seaboard,  excepting  three  or  four  at  each 
port,  were  dismounted,  cleaned,  and  preserved  in  the  same  way,  it  would 
undoubtedly  save  the  nation  considerable  expense." 

A  constant  supervision  is  exercised  over  collateral  influences  upon  the 
moral  condition  of  the  men,  growing  out  of  suttling,  desertion,  proximity 
to  cities,  &o. ;  also  in  relation  to  "commandants  of  departments,"  "  quar 
ter-master  generals,"  "  commissary-generals  of  provisions,"  and  "hospital 
department." 

In  1835,  when  General  Jackson  had  determined  that  France  should  pay 
its  old  debt,  an  inspection  was  ordered  of  all  the  coast  defences  from 
Maine  to  the  delta  of  the  Mississippi;  and  the  report  of  General  Wool 
on  that  occasion  develops  a  military  and  business  capacity,  together  with 
a  statesmanlike  view  of  the  necessities  of  the  country,  which  is  seldom  or 
ever  encountered  in  official  reports.  In  1830,  he  made  a  report  on  the 
expediency  of  erecting  fortifications  on  the  northern  frontier.  This  he  dis 
couraged  as  a  useless  expenditure,  showing  that  modern  science  has  ren- 


9 

dered  fortified  posts  useless  between  contiguous  nations.  His  report  on 
the  western  defences,  with  reference  to  the  economy  of  the  cavalry  service, 
and  the  best  mode  of  supplying  it  with  horses,  contains  a  volume  of  infor 
mation.  The  reports  upon  the  Florida  war  are  models  of  military  criticism. 

The  reports  made  from  time  to  time  to  the  government  by  General 
Wool,  are  not  only  so  exceedingly  clear  and  correct  in  style  as. to  attract 
the  general  reader,  but  they  are  fraught  with  the  most  profound  and  states 
manlike  views,  betraying  a  most  comprehensive  knowledge  of  affairs,  and 
remarkable  sagacity  in  estimating  the  consequences. 

The  report  on  the  reduction  of  the  army  in  1830,  is  a  model  report.  It 
was  drawn  up  during  those  years  of  European  revolution,  which  marked 
the  accession  of  Louis  Philip  to  the  throne  of  France.  We  regret  that  we 
cannot  give  it  room  ;  but  we  cannot  pass  over  one  or  two  passages  which 
are  directly  applicable  to  our  present  state  of  affairs  : 

"  It  must  be  obvious  to  all  who  reflect  upon  the  subject,  that  the  condition  of 
nations  must  be  that  of  alternate  peace  and  war.  It  therefore  follows  as  a  self- 
evident  truth,  that  a  long  continuance  of  peace  indicates  the  nearer  approach  of 
war;  and,  instead  of  relaxing  the  efforts  to  sustain  an  efficient  military  organiza 
tion,  they  ought  to  be  increased  in  a  ratio  corresponding  with  the  length  of  the 
peace.  The  period  when  a  military  organization  could  be  relinquished  with  the 
least  danger  to  the  national  safety,  is  immediately  after  the  termination  of  a  war. 
This  is  submitted  as  a  general  proposition.  But  the  disturbances  in  Europe  at  the 
presenD  moment,  furnish,  as  I  conceive,  a  strong  additional  argument  for  keeping 
our  military  organization  as  perfect  as  possible,  and  for  increasing,  rather  than 
diminishing,  our  military  force.  Our  peaceable  relations  with  the  nations  of 
Europe  are  always  endangered,  whenever  those  nations  are  belligerent,  and  the 
United  States  neutral.  It  is  then  that  little  regard  is  paid  to  the  neutral  flag, 
and  neutral  commerce  is  constantly  subjected  to  vexatious  interruptions,  and 
serious  depredations.  The  flag  is  insulted ;  our  citizens  on  the  high  seas  are 
exposed,  not  only  to  the  loss  of  property,  but  to  personal  indignities,  and  the  vio 
lation  of  personal  liberty;  and  the  marauder  of  the  ocean,  to  justify  his  outrages, 
points  to  the  belligerent  flag  of  his  nation.  Such  wrongs  and  indignities,  as  a 
nation,  we  have  encountered,  and  to  such,  in  all  probability,  we  shall  again  be 
exposed. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  foresee  all  the  consequences  which  may  follow  the  revolu 
tion  in  Europe.  One  thing,  however,  is  certain, — the  chances  of  hostilities  are 
every  where  increased,  and  no  wise  nation  will,  at  such  a  period,  deprive  them 
selves  of  any  part  of  their  existing  means  of  defence." 

Again,  in  1842,  when,  in  the  midst  of  the  dispute  with  England,  there 
was  discussion  about  the  reduction  of  the  army,  the  pen  of  General  Wool 
on  many  occasions  was  powerfully  and  effectually  exerted  on  the  side  of 
patriotism. 

In  1832,  the  government  dispatched  General  Wool  to  Europe  for  pur 
poses  of  information  connected  with  military  science,  tactics,  and  improve 
ment  generally.  He  was  selected  for  this  mission  as  having  the  right 
qualifications  for  the  office.  He  sailed  in  the  Charlemagne  the  last  of  June, 
1832.  He  arrived  in  September,  and  was  kindly  received  by  the  then 
"citizen  King."  He  was  one  of  his  Majesty's  suite  at  a  grand  review 
of  70,000  men,  and  100  pieces  of  artillery.  The  minister  of  war  con 
ferred  upon  him  power  to  visit  all  the  military  establishments  of  France  ; 
and  directions  were  everywhere  given  to  receive  him  with  the  most 
marked  civilities.  General  Wool  dined  repeatedly  with  the  King ;  and 
well  would  it  have  been  for  that  prince,  had  he  comprehended  the  republi- 


10 

can  hints  he  then  received.  But  the  royal  egotist  replied,  "  De  French 
peoples  have  now  de  very  best  government  what  they  can  have."  The 
then  famous  avowal  of  Jackson,  "  to  ask  for  nothing  that  is  not  clearly 
right,  and  to  submit  to  nothing  that  is  wrong,"  was  unmistakably  personi 
fied  in  Wool.  In  November  of  the  same  year,  Wool  was  the  guest  of 
the  King  of  Belgium,  and  with  him  reviewed  100,000  troops,  and  the  fa 
mous  fortifications  of  Antwerp.  He  was  also  present  under  the  siege  of 
that  city,  under  Chasse. 

In  1836,  General  Wool  was  ordered  to  the  Cherokee  country  to  remove 
the  Indians  to  Arkansas.  This  duty  he  performed  in  a  manner  every  way 
satisfactory  to  the  whites,  and  without  giving  cause  of  complaint  to  the 
red  men ;  and  upon  disbanding  the  Tennessee  volunteers,  who  had  acted 
under  his  orders,  they  addressed  to  him  the  most  flattering  testimonials  of 
respect. 

In  connection  with  this  mission,  the  governor  of  the  state  of  Alabama 
thought  proper  to  charge  upon  Wool  an  "  attempt  to  usurp  the  power  of 
civil  tribunals"  in  that  state,  "  trampling  upon  private  rights,"  &c.  In  con 
sequence  of  this,  a  court  of  inquiry  was,  at  his  own  request,  ordered,  General 
Scott  presiding.  The  finding  of  the  court  was  not  only  an  honorable  acquit 
tal,  but  the  facts  developed  redounded  greatly  to  the  honor  of  the  general. 
It  also  gave  him  the  opportunity  of  making  that  masterly  defence  which  has 
added  so  much  to  his  reputation.  The  removal  of  a  body  of  men  like  Indians, 
from  a  country  where  they  have  been  settled,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  pre 
serve  the  peace  and  protect  all  parties  in  their  just  rights,  is  a  matter  of 
exceeding  delicacy,  and  the  government  showed  its  judgment  in  selecting 
Wool  for  a  duty  which  required  the  exercise  of  such  high  faculties  of  the 
mind.  That  bad  men,  whose  designs  upon  the  rights  and  properties  of 
others,  should  trump  up  malign  charges  against  the  inflexible  justice  which 
frustrated  their  schemes,  was  but  natural.  The  result  was,  however,  highly 
gratifying,  not  only  to  the  friends  of  General  Wool,  but  to  the  govern 
ment,  since  his  defence  developed,  in  some  degree,  the  breadth  of  his  vast 
administrative  capacity,  his  just  conception  of  the  spirit  of  his  mission, 
and  the  promptness  and  precision  with  which  he  executed  it.  The  full 
legal  consequences  of  his  acts,  the  high  moral  sense  of  his  responsibilities, 
and  the  firm  course  with  which  he  assumed  them,  are  finely  displayed.  He 
develops  a  character  of  the  true  Jackson  stamp.  The  government  decided 
upon  a  rigid  execution  of  the  treaty,  and  Wool  was  the  man  to  do  it ;  and 
he  did  it  with  an  integrity  of  purpose,  decision,  and  vigor,  that  Jackson 
could  not  have  excelled. 

During  the  Canadian  difficulties,  in  1838,  and  the  grumbling  of  John 
Bull,  General  Wool  was  employed  on  a  military  reconnoissance  in  the  wilds 
of  Maine  for  the  defence  of  the  frontier.  This  duty,  of  extraordinary  dif 
ficulty  under  the  circumstances,  was  performed  under  the  guidance  of  that 
clear  perception  of  what  is  right,  and  that  iron  will  in  its  enforcement, 
totally  regardless  of  consequences,  which  is  so  characteristic  of  Wool,  and 
that  assimilates  him  in  so  marked  a  degree  to  General  Jackson. 

This  long  practical  experience  in  almost  every  branch  of  the  country's 
service,  an  acquaintance  with  the  means  of  defence  which  the  country  pos* 
sesses,  and  administrative  qualities  which  fall  to  the  lot  of  very  few  men 
to  acquire  or  exercise,  were  combined  in  him. 

General  Wool  is  not  the  man  to  shrink  from  any  service  which  his 
country  may  require  at  his  hands,  or  the  call  of  her  constituted  authorities. 


11 

His  activity,  promptitude,  methodical  habits,  and  decision  of  character, 
are  too  well  known  to  need  specification,  and  these  qualities  make  him  as 
indefatigable  a  man  of  business  as  he  is  an  intrepid  and  scientific  soldier. 

Such  was  the  man,  of  pre-eminent  abilities,  and  so  experienced,  who  be 
came  efficient  in  supporting  the  government  when  the  Mexican  war 
took  place.  To  his  industry,  address  and  energy,  in  organizing,  inspecting, 
and  mustering  into  service,  12,000  men  from  six  different  states,  in  six 
weeks,  and  pouring  them  down  to  the  support  of  the  enveloped  column 
of  Taylor,  and  leading  a  portion  of  them  on  his  immortal  march  of  nine 
hundred  miles  through  an  enemy's  country,  and  effecting  a  junction  with 
Taylor,  without  losing  a  man  ;  organizing  and  drilling  the  united  com 
mand,  selecting  the  frontier  of  Buena  Vista,  and  promptly  occupying  it  in 
the  face  of  the  advancing  Mexicans,  may  the  great  success  of  that  war  be 
attributed. 

It  is  not  necessary  hero  to  enter  into  the  causes  of  the  Mexican  war, 
either  in  respect  to  those  remote  ones  growing  out  of  the  misconduct  of 
a  nation  doomed  to  destruction,  or  those  immediate  ones  which,  growing 
out  of  mismanagement  on  the  part  of  the  leader  of  the  army  of  occupa 
tion,  precipitated  hostilities.  While  General  Taylor  was  creating  difficul 
ties  for  himself  through  want  of  sufficient  capacity  to  understand  the 
nature  of  his  position  in  Texas,  he  was  constantly  discouraging  the  employ 
ment  of  volunteers.  His  reiterated  reports  to  the  government,  continued 
even  while  danger  was  thickest  around  him,  were  all  in  opposition  to  the 
calling  out  of  troops,  running  in  this  wise : 

"  CORPUS  CHRISTI,  August  30,  1845. — That  communication  will,  I  trust,  reach 
New-Orleans  to-night  or  to-morrow,  in  time,  I  trust,  to  stop  the  employment  of  any 
more  volunteers." 

"  September  14,  1845. — In  view  of  the  large  reinforcements  of  regular  troops 
ordered  to  join  me,  I  cannot  believe  that  it  will  become  necessary,  under  any  cir 
cumstances,  to  employ  volunteers  from  the  United  States." 

11  October  4,  1845. — It  is  proper  to  add,  that,  should  any  auxiliary  force  be 
required,  I  propose  to  draw  it  wholly  from  Texas.  I  do  not  conceive  that  it  will 
become  necessary,  under  any  circumstances,  to  call  for  volunteers  from  the  United 
States." 

"  October  15,  1845. — Three  hundred  recruits  are  now  wanted  in  the  regiments 
and  detachments  here." 

"February  4,  1846. — I  shall  not  call  for  any  militia  force  in  addition  to  what  I 
already  have,  unless  unforeseen  circumstances  shall  render  its  employment  ne 
cessary." 

"MATAMORAS,  March  29,  1846. — Under  this  state  of  things  I  must  again,  and 
urgently,  call  your  attention  to  the  necessity  of  speedily  sending  recruits  to  this 
army.  The  militia  of  Texas  are  so  remote  from  the  border,  that  we  cannot  depend 
upon  their  aid." 

11  April  15,  1846. — I  shall  further  authorize  the  raising  of  two  companies  of  Texan 
mounted  men  for  service  in  this  quarter,  particularly  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
open  our  communication  with  Point  Isabel.1" 

"  April  26, 1846. — I  have  this  day  deemed  it  necessary  to  call  upon  the  governor 
of  Texas  for  four  regiments  of  volunteers  ;  as  some  delay  must  occur  in  collecting 
these  troops,  I  have  also  desired  the  governor  of  Louisiana  to  send  out  four  regi 
ments  of  infantry  as  soon  as  practicable.  If  a  law  could  be  passed,  authorizing  the 
President  to  raise  volunteers  for  twelve  months,  it  would  be  of  the  greatest  im 
portance  to  a  service  so  remote  as  this." 

"  May  3,  1846. — Owing  to  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  country,  and  our  deficiency 
in  the  proper  description  of  light  troops,  I  have  been  kept  ignorant,  to  a  great  de 
gree,  of  his  (the  enemy's)  movements." 


12 

This  last  letter  is  dated  May  3d,  and  twelve  days  after  it  was  written, 
Gen.  Wool,  then  in  the  midst  of  his  arduous  duties  at  his  head-quarters  at 
Troy,  New-York,  received  an  order  to  repair  to  Washington.  From 
this  moment  the  military  preparation  became  animated  and  efficient. 
In  order  the  better  to  estimate  the  extraordinary  activity,  energy  and 
skill  with  which  this  veteran  soldier  entered  upon  the  execution  of  his 
new  duties,  we  shall  state  his  movements  chronologically.  August  25th, 
1845,  he  had  orders  to  concentrate  troops  for  Corpus  Christi,  to  be  drawn 
from  Boston,  Portland  and  Portsmouth,  to  New- York.  On  the  26th,  the 
orders  were  all  transmitted.  The  whole  arrived,  were  mustered,  and  paid 
off  on  the  31st,  and  ready  to  sail,  but  the  ship  was  only  ready  on  the  2d. 
On  the  15th  of  May,  1846,  he  received  orders  to  repair  to  Washington. 
He  reported  himself  at  the  War  Department  in  48  hours.  May  30th, 
he  received  orders  to  proceed  to  Cincinnati,  to  organize  and  muster  into 
service  the  volunteers  from  Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  Mississippi,  which  had  been  required  by  the  President.  On  the  5th  of 
June  he  was  in  Columbus,  holding  conference  with  the  Governor  of  Ohio. 
On  the  next  day  he  opened  correspondence  with  all  the  governors,  gen 
erals,  colonels,  and  regimental  officers  on  one  hand,  and  the  War  De 
partment  on  the  other.  Moving  between  Cincinnati,  Louisville,  St.  Louis, 
Memphis  and  Alton,  he  was  everywhere  efficient.  He  was  the  only 
man  present  who  formed  any  conception  of  what  was  necessary  for  an  in 
vading  army. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  said  the  general,  in  a  Communication  to  the  War  Department, 
"  for  the  volunteers  to  get  along  without  experienced  staff-officers.  They  know 
nothing  about  the  service.  I  assure  you  we  have  few  among  them  that  know 
any  thing  about  any  duty  which  appertains  to  furnishing  supplies.  From  the 
colonel  down,  they  do  not  know  what  they  want,  or  what  is  necessary  for  the 
comfort  of  the  troops,  or  to  make  them  efficient  for  the  field.  I  have  been 
obliged,  in  anticipation,  to  supply  all  their  wants." 

The  general  gave  himself  no  rest ;  he  was  compelled  to  perform  duties 
which  really  appertained  to  subordinate  officers  of  various  departments. 
He  kept  a  vigilant  and  almost  sleepless  eye  over  every  branch  of  the  ser 
vice,  from  the  artillery  department  down  to  the  nosebags  of  the  horses  and 
the  medicines  of  the  hospitals.  During  the  revolutionary  war,  such  an 
amount  of  actual  labor  was  never  thrown  on  a  general  officer.  He  \vas 
compelled  to  listen,  and  did  listen  with  patience,  to  the  countless  com 
plaints  of  the  volunteers,  and  endeavored,  as  far  as  possible,  to  redress  them, 
if  well  founded ;  and  in  all  cases  to  soothe  and  keep  them  in  good  humor. 
In  restraining  the  ebullitions  of  a  temper  naturally  fiery  and  impatient,  he 
discovered  great  forbearance  and  self-command.  Familiar  with  every 
branch  of  military  service  in  all  its  details,  the  address  and  management 
with  which  he  encountered  the  difficulties  that  beset  him,  discovered  an  ac 
curate  knowledge  of  human  nature,  and  of  the  mode  of  reconciling  the 
most  independent  and  the  most  refractory  spirits,  but  little  accustomed  to 
restraint  and  to  the  subordination  of  the  camp.  The  volunteers  soon 
learned  that  he  was  not  one  to  be  dallied  with,  and  that  in  all  things  where 
he  had  the  right  to  command,  he  would  be  obeyed ;  he  was  no  trifler,  and 
they  soon  were  convinced  that  he  exacted  nothing  but  what  was  just ;  and 
if  he  refused  indulgences  to  them,  he  allowed  none  to  himself.  Even  his 
reputation  as  a  severe  disciplinarian  did  not  extinguish  the  desire  to  serve 
under  his  command ;  for  they  were  well  assured,  that  when  opportunities 
occurred,  he  would  give  full  play  to  their  enterprise  and  martial  spirit. 


13 

By  the  llth  July,  General  Wool  had  prepared,  in  all  its  details,  an  army 
of  12,000  men.  That  is  to  say,  in  six  weeks,  or  in  less  time  than  it  took 
General  Taylor  to  find  out  whether  he  wanted  volunteers  or  not,  General 
Wool,  almost  alone,  had  converted  12,000  citizens  into  an  efficient  army. 
When  this  was  completed,  July  llth,  he  received  an  order  to  turn  over 
his  command  to  General  Butler,  and  to  repair  to  San  Antonia,  Texas, 
there  to  concentrate  the  -troops  that  were  to  form  his  column  of  march 
against  Chihuahua.  Without  a  moment's  rest,  he  set  out.  July  15th,  he 
was  at  Alton,  Illinois,  inspecting  the  Illinois  regiments.  Eleven  days  after, 
July  26th,  he  was  at  New-Orleans,  giving  a  multitude  of  orders  to  procure 
wagons,  horses,  mules,  munitions,  and  all  the  supplies  for  the  forward 
movement.  August  1st,  he  was  at  Lavaca,  Texas,  disembarking  the  troops, 
looking  after  supplies  and  munitions,  reviewing  regiments,  and  perfecting 
full  instructions  to  act  after  his  departure.  August  14th,  he  was  in  San 
Antonio,  where  he  was  to  concentrate  the  troops  of  his  column,  and  whence, 
after  his  own  incredible  exertions,  he  was  compelled  to  write,  August  15th, 
to  General  Taylor : 

"  I  find,"  said  he,  "  neither  men,  munitions,  nor  means  of  transportation, "which, 
to  a  certain  extent,  it  was  confidently  believed,  would  have  preceded  me.  If  the 
troops  under  Colonel  Harney  had  been  here,  it  was  my  intention  to  have  pro 
ceeded  at  once  to  the  Rio  Grande,  to  select  a  point  near  the  Presidio  for  the 
establishment  of  a  depot." 

These  difficulties,  his  immense  activity  and  indomitable  will  overcame. 
With  but  few  staff  officers,  he  did  most  of  the  duty  himself,  even  that  of 
quartermaster;  collected  supplies,  sent  instructions  to  expected  troops,  and 
took  efficient  measures  to  protect  both  Mexicans  and  Texans  from  the  daily 
inroads  of  savages.  As  the  troops  came  up,  the  indefatigable  general  set 
himself  to  form  an  army  out  of  corps  that  met  each  other  for  the  first 
time.  He  rose  early,  and  retired  late  ;  he  indulged  in  no  amusements,  but 
devoted  every  hour,  except  the  few  in  which  he  sought  some  rest  by  sleep, 
to  the  service;  and  by  incessant  exertion,  he  began  by  degrees  to  form  the 
excellent  but  inchoate  materials  of  the  column  which  he  was  to  lead  into 
Mexico,  into  shape  and  consistency. 

Tie  anxiously  sought  information  in  relation  to  Chihuahua,  and  the  road 
thither.  All  the  accounts  confirmed,  in  a  most  discouraging  picture,  the 
difficulties  of  the  route;  nevertheless,  General  Wool,  with  622  regulars, 
and  2,339  volunteers,  the  larger  portion  of  those  which  he  had  mustered 
into  service  having  been  sent  in  admirable  order  to  General  Taylor,  com 
menced  his  perilous  march,  September  26th.  October  8th  he  reached  the 
Rio  Grande,  making  his  own  road  through  hills,  and  over  streams,  as  he 
went.  The  Rio  Grande  was  270  yards  wide,  and  was  passed  by  a  flying 
bridge,  in  face  of  a  small  Mexican  force,  and  on  the  llth  the  invading 
army  marched  forward,  under  an  inspiring  address  from  General  Wool. 
On  the  24th  October  it  entered  Santa  Rosa  without  resistance.  Santa 
Rosa  is  at  the  base  of  the  mountains,  which  can  only  be  passed  on  the  road 
leading  from  Saltillo  to  Chihuahua.  The  city  of  Monclova,,  with  7,000 
inhabitants,  was  reached  October  29oh.  Thus  a  march  of  600  miles  had 
been  accomplished  in  36  days.  At  this  place  the  hands  of  General 
Wool  were  tied  by  the  absurd  armistice  of  Monterey,  which  was  f  >r  27 
days.  This  time  was  spent  in  the  most  incessant  duties,  drilling  the 
troops,  perfecting  their  discipline,  reconnoitering  the  country,  and  collecting 


14 

information  respecting  the  movements  of  the   enemy.     The  extent  and 
accuracy  of  the  information  thus  acquired,  and  the  clear  manner  in  which 
the  state  of  affairs  was  stated  by  him,  procured  an  abandonment  of  the 
Chihuahua  expedition.     Having  ascertained  that  the  Mexican  troops  at 
Chihuahua  had  fallen  back  to  Durango  and  Zacatecas,  and  that  nothing 
was  to  be  gained  by  going  to  Chihuahua  but  conquering  distances,  and 
that  Santa  Anna  was  concentrating  all  the  available  forces  of  Mexico  at 
San  Luis  de  Potosi,  for  the  purpose,  as  he  said,  of  driving  the  barbarians 
of  the  North  across  the  Rio  Grande,  if  not  the  Sabine,  General  Wool,  on 
the  1st  of  November,  wrote  to  General  Taylor  and  urged  him,  if  he  had 
authority,  to  abandon  the  expedition  to  Chihuahua,  which  was  already 
conquered,  "  and  concentrate  his  forces,  and  not  allow  Santa  Anna  to  beat 
him  in  detail."     He  again  wrote  to  the  General  on  the  12th  and  13th,  re 
peating  what  he  had  previously  communicated,  and  again  on  the  19th  ;  at 
the  same  time  to  Major  Bliss,  his  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  and  sent 
these  communications  by  his  Aid-de-camp,  McDowell.     In  his  letter  to 
Major  Bliss,  he  says,  "  delays  are  dangerous.     This  is  the  favorable  time 
for  operating  against  the  enemy.     Take  time  by  the  forelock,  and  push  on 
before  the  enemy  collects  too  large  a  force  to  bring  against  us.     Urge  the 
General  to  concentrate  his  forces.     Do  not  allow  the  enemy  to  beat  us  in 
detail."     At  this  time  it  was  ascertained  that  at  least  15,000  men  were 
concentrated  at  San  Luis,  and  daily  increasing.     General  Taylor  having 
received  instructions   from  the  Secretary  of  War   to  withdraw  General 
Wool's  command  from  Chihuahua,  if  he  should  deem  it  advisable,  trans 
mitted  to   the  latter  by  his  aid-de-camp  an  order  to  occupy  Parras,  which 
he  did  on  the  5th  December.     Mean  time,  trusting  to  his  own  resources, 
with  the  self-reliance  of  a  great  captain,  he  "  cut  the  cord"  of  his  com 
munication,  by  ordering  the  companies  to  join  the  army  in  front,  and  on 
November  24th  resumed  his  march.     On  the  26th  he  received  notice 
that  the  Chihuahua  expedition  was  abandoned,  and  also  orders  to  occupy 
Parras,  180  miles  fromMonclova,  100  fromSaltillo,  and  150  fromMonterey, 
which  he  occupied  December  5th ;  and  the  admirable  manner  in  which 
this  city  was  governed  by  General  Wool,  endeared  him  to  its  people.     At 
this  time  Taylor  was  at  Monterey,  and  Worth  at  Saltillo.     Wool  had 
orders,  that  in  case  Worth  should  be  menaced,  to  proceed  thither  and  as 
sume  command ;  and  Worth  having  sent  notice  of  the  approach  of  Santa 
Anna,  and  solicited  aid,  Wool,  with  his  column,  was  in  motion  to  join  him 
December  17th,  in  two  hours  after  the  receipt  of  the  notice.     It  may  be 
remarked,  so  excellent  had  been  his  management,  that  only  fourteen  of  his 
men  were  too  sick  to  march,  and  the  ladies  of  Parras  contended  for  the  pri 
vilege  of  nursing  them. 

On  the  21st  of  December,  Wool  encamped  at  Agua  Nueva,  twenty-one 
miles  in  advance  of  Saltillo,  and  fourteen  in  advance  of  the  memorable 
field  of  Buena  Vista ;  thus  completing  a  march  of  six  hundred  miles, 
through  an  enemy's  country,  not  only  without  shedding  a  drop  of  blood, 
but  having  conquered  the  hearts  of  the  enemy. 

In  the  course  of  the  march,  his  army  had  levelled  hills,  filled  ravines, 
constructed  bridges,  crossed  rivers  difficult  of  passage,  and  sandy  plains, 
scaled  mountains,  and  finally,  in  eighty-five  days,  including  twenty-seven 
lost  by  the  unfortunate  armistice  of  Monterey,  encamped  at  Agua  Nueva, 
the  advanced  position  of  the  army  of  occupation,  in  high  health,  scarcely 
losing  a  man  on  the  march,  and  in  a  state  of  discipline  which  was  the 


15 

admiration  of  all  military  men.  His  column  was  so  thorough  in  its  ap 
pointments,  that  it  was  the  model  of  an  army  :  it  wanted  nothing ;  and 
with  the  means  then  existing,  was  able  to  keep  the  field  a  year.  All  this 
had  been  accomplished  by  unceasing  vigilance,  by  an  irresistible  energy, 
before  which  the  most  formidable  obstacles  gave  way  ;  and  by  a  system 
of  admirable  military  diplomacy,  which  enabled  the  commander  to  feed 
his  army  from  the  resources  of  the  country,  and  to  sustain  his  credit  by 
the  undeviating  honor  which  characterized  his  conduct  in  all  his  engage 
ments,  and  the  prompt  manner  in  which  he  fulfilled  all  his  stipulations. 
The  annals  of  history  furnish  no  instance  of  such  a  march  as  General 
Wool's :  no  disasters  occurred ;  nothing  was  lost,  and  the  army  was 
brought  out  in  fine  condition  at  the  termination  of  this  stupendous  march, 
and  the  military  ability  of  the  commander  was  too  plainly  manifested  to 
be  controverted.  He  had  shed  no  blood,  converted  enemies  into  friends, 
and  was  in  all  places  received  as  a  protector  rather  than  as  a  conqueror. 
Slander  was  silenced ;  and  the  restless  spirit  of  envy,  if  not  quelled,  was 
quieted. 

Compare  this  with  the  friendly  marches  of  Wellington  in  Spain,  as 
described  by  an  English  historian : 

"  Five  hundred  of  the  rear  guard,  under  Cole,  chiefly  of  one  regiment,  finding  the 
inhabitants  had  fled,  according  to  their  custom,  whichever  side  was  approaching, 
broke  open  the  houses,  plundered,  and  got  drunk.  A  multitude  were  left  in  the 
cellars  of  Valdemors,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy ; 
and  the  excesses  committed  by  some  of  the  soldiers  were  glaring,  and  furnished 
proof  that  the  moral  conduct  of  a  general  cannot  be  fairly  judged  by  following  in 
the  wake  of  a  retreating  army.  On  this  occasion  there  was  no  want  of  provi 
sions,  no  hardships  to  exasperate  the  men ;  and  yet  I,  the  author  of  this  history, 
counted,  on  the  first  day's  march  from  Madrid,  seventeen  bodies  of  murdered 
peasants.  And  a  shallow  observer  might  thence  have  drawn  the  most  foul  and 
false  conclusions  against  the  English  general  and  nation." 

So  far  Colonel  Napier,  upon  a  march  of  Wellington,  three  hundred 
miles  in  a  friendly  country.  Now,  General  Wool  marched  six  hundred 
miles  through  an  enemy's  country,  and  so  far  from  any  outrage  having 
been  committed  by  his  men,  the  safety  and  morality  of  the  townspeo 
ple  had  never  been  so  great,  as  during  his  presence,  and  this  was  entirely 
owing  to  the  high  character  of  the  General.  What  did  General  Wool 
when  he  approached  a  town,  even  a  hostile  one  1  He  protected  the 
persons  and  property  of  the  inhabitants  from  any  ill  usage  on  the 
part  of  his  own  men ;  he  even  rescued  some  captives  from  the  Indians 
who  infest  Northern  Mexico  ;  he  saw  that  every  thing  got  by  his  soldiers 
from  the  Mexicans  was  fairly  paid  for ;  in  fine,  he  kept  his  division  in 
such  excellent  subordination,  that  not  a  single  family  was  obliged  to  flee 
at  their  approach,  or  had  occasion  to  dread  the  outrages  which  so  often — 
we  had  almost  said  invariably— attend  invasions,  whether  gratuitous  or 
provoked. 

Napier  endeavors  to  screen  Wellington  from  blame  for  his  incapacity 
to  command,  but  the  condemnation  of  that  officer  is  found  in  the  example 
of  Wool.  Let  us  now  throw  together  the  dates  since  Wool  got  his  order 
in  May  : — 

May  15,  1846,  received  order  to  go  to  Washington. 
"      17,     "      reported  in  Washington. 
"      30,     "      ordered  to  Ohio. 
June  5,     <*      at  Columbus. 


16 


Jane  6,  1846,  at  Cincinnati. 

July  11,  12,000  men  organized  and  mustered. 

"    15,  at  Alton,  Illinois. 

"    26,  at  New-Orleans. 

Aug.  1,  at  Lavaca,  Texas. 

"    14,  at  San  Antonio. 

Sept,26,  marched  with  army  organized. 

Oct.    8,  at  Rio  Grande. 

"   24,  at  Santa  Rosa. 

"  29,  Monclova,  600  miles. 

Nov. 24,  marched,  after  27  days'  armistice. 

Dec.  5,  before  Parras,  780  miles. 

"    17,  marched. 

"21,  at  Agua  Nueva,  900  miles  from  Lavaca. 

In  seven  months  he  left  his  home,  created  two  armies,  one  for  Taylor 
and  one  for  himself,  traveled  2,000  miles,  organized  3,000  men  into  an  in 
vading  force,  marched  900  miles  and  encamped,  as  the  advanced  guard  of 
the  American  force,  at  Agua  Nueva.  But  the  indefatigable  man  thought 
not  of  rest;  as  soon  as  his  army,  arrived  on  the  2 1st.  was  encamped, 
he  left  with  his  staff  the  next  day,  the  22d,  for  Saltillo,  found  ge 
nerals  Butler  and  Worth  sick  in  bed,  learned  from  them  the  state 
of  affairs,  and  with  the  dawn,  December  23d,  started  for  Agua  Nueva. 
Never  for  a  moment  was  his  intellect  idle.  When  the  party  reached 
Angostura,  which  they  had  passed  in  a  thick  fog  the  previous  evening, 
Wool  halted,  and  after  viewing  the  ground,  exclaimed  :  "This  is  the 
spot  of  all  others  I  have  yet  seen  in  Mexico,  which  I  should  select  for 
battle,  were  I  obliged  with  a  small  army  to  fight  a  large  one.  The  net 
work  of  deeply-worn  channels  on  the  right  will  completely  protect  that 
flank,  and  the  heights  on  the  left  will  command  the  road ;  while  the  ra 
vines  in  front,  which  extend  back  to  the  mountain  on  that  side,  will  cripple 
the  movements  of  the  enemy,  should  he  attempt  to  turn  that  flank." 

Wool,  in  his  conversation,  enlarged  much  on  the  superior  advantages  of 
this  as  a  battle  field.  Carleton  communicated  his  opinion  to  the  officers 
of  the  camp,  many  of  whom  visited  the  spot,  and  all  concurred  in  the 
opinion  of  General  Wool. 

December  26,  General  Butler  assumed  command,  and,  for  some  reason, 
ordered  General  Wool  to  fall  back  to  Encantada.  There  he  remained 
some  weeks  in  a  situation  which  was  unfavorable  to  the  efficiency  of  his 
corps.  On  the  21st  January,  General  Butler  proceeded  to  Monterey, 
and  thence  to  the  United  States,  an  event  which  placed  the  troops  in  and 
near  Saltillo  under  command  of  Wool.  Immediately  active  preparations 
were  commenced.  General  Lane,  governor  of  Saltillo,  received  full  in 
structions  for  the  defence  of  that  city,  and  Captain  Webster  was  ordered 
to  complete  a  field  work,  and  occupy  it  with  two  24  pound  howitzers.  This 
work  commanded  the  city,  and  incessant  exertions  kept  the  command  in 
fine  order.  January  30th,  the  reports  of  the  movements  of  the  enemy 
and  the  appearance  of  large  bodies  of  cavalry  in  the  neighborhood  of  Sal 
tillo,  aroused  General  Taylor  at  Monterey,  who,  in  opposition  to  the  advice 
of  General  Scott  and  the  War  Department,  established  his  camp,  February 
5th,  at  Agua  Nueva,  with  the  intention  of  there  fighting  the  Mexicans. 
February  10th,  General  Wool  followed  with  Lane's  brigade,  leaving  Major 
Warren  with  four  Illinois  companies  to  hold  Saltillo.  General  Taylor 
now  placed  the  whole  camp  under  the  command  of  Wool.  His  own 
troops  were  in  a  high  state  of  discipline ;  not  so  with  the  volunteers 


17 

under  General  Taylor.  The  army  had  been  weakened  by  the  withdrawal  of 
the  regulars  for  the  service  of  Scott's  campaign,  and  the  volunteers  of 
Taylor  required  the  skill  and  activity  of  Wool  to  improve  their  efficien 
cy.  That  general,  although  complained  of  by  the  volunteers  for  his  al 
leged  too  strict  discipline,  was  nevertheless  respected  for  his  own  inde 
fatigable  industry  and  manifest  genius.  These  qualities,  as  is  always  the 
case,  ultimately  secured  him  the  admiration  of  the  troops  after  they  had 
learned  to  appreciate  the  value  of  discipline. 

"  And  each  day's  improvement  gave  evidence  of  his  indefatigable  exertions,  as 
well  as  the  aptness  and  intelligence  of  the  volunteers,  who  were  taught  under 
his  superintendence." 

The  great  difficulty  with  General  Taylor  was  his  mental  and  physical 
indolence.  When  he  had  once  imbibed  an  idea,  no  matter  how  erroneous, 
nothing  but  positive  blows  would  induce  him  to  relinquish  it.  He  had  a 
notion  that  the  large  army  at  San  Louis  was  destined  for  Vera  Cruz ;  and 
he  would  not  relinquish  it  until  Santa  Anna  was  capturing  his  wagons. 
As  late  as  the  14th  February,  in  a  communication  to  the  Adjutant  General, 
he  says : 

"  Rumors  reach  our  camp  from  time  to  time  of  the  projected  advance  of  a 
Mexican  force  upon  this  position,  but  I  think  such  a  movement  improbable." 

It  was,  however,  his  determination,  if  the  Mexican  chief  should 
attack  him,  to  meet  him  at  Agua  Nueva.  From  the  30th  January 
to  February  20,  there  were  constant  rumors  of  the  approach  of 
20,000  to  30,000  Mexicans;  and  every  American  officer  was  con 
vinced  of  the  truth  of  those  reports,  except  Taylor.  He  did  not 
believe  the  Mexicans  were  coming  to  Agua  Nueva,  but  was  fully  de 
termined  to  fight  them  there,  if  they  did  come.  On  the  20th,  the  actual 
advance  of  the  Mexicans  dispelled  one  illusion,  and  with  that  fled  another, 
viz.,  the  ability  to  fight  at  Agua  Nueva.  He  had  been  there  three  weeks,  ne 
ver  doubting  that  it  was  strong  battle  ground  ;  when  the  Mexicans  were  ac 
tually  upon  him,  he  reconnoitered,  and  found  it  could  be  turned ;  then, 
for  the  first  time,  he  listened  to  General  Wool.  He  writes  himself,March  4  : 

11  Not  exactly  liking  my  position,  having  ascertained  that  Santa  Anna  could 
gain  my  rear  by  two  roads  on  my  right  and  one  on  my  left,  and  deeming  it  pru 
dent  not  to  divide  my  forces,  and  having  apprehensions  about  my  supplies,  which 
were  in  Saltillo,  I  determined  at  once  to  fall  back  towards  that  place  about  12 
miles,  and  occupy  a  strong  position  between  two  spurs  of  a  mountain  with  a  nar 
row  valley  between  them.  Said  position  had  been  closely  examined  by  the  to 
pographical  engineers  under  the  eye  of  General  Wool,  who  deemed  it  admirably 
adapted  to  meet  a  large  with  a  small  force,  as  well  as  adapted  to  the  description  of 
force  which  composed  our  army. 

The  statement  that  the  engineers  had  examined  the  pass  was  not  true. 
General  Wool  alone  had  examined  it,  and  his  advice  had,  under  the  illu 
sion  that  the  army  would  fight  at  Agua  Nueva,  been  utterly  neglected 
until  the  moment  of  retreat,  which  took  place  on  the  evening  of  the 
21st,  14  miles,  to  Buena  Vista.  Colonel  Yell  was  left  at  Agua  Nueva, 
to  bring  off  or  destroy  the  provisions  which  there  was  now  no  time  to 
save.  McKee,  with  the  Kentuckians  and  a  section  of  Washington's  artil 
lery,  were  stationed  at  Encantado,  to  cover  the  retreat  of  Yell.  The 
army  arrived  at  Buena  Vista  on  the  evening  of  the  21st,  and  Taylor  imme 
diately  continued  his  march  with  the  Mississippi  regiment,  Sherman's 
and  Bragg's  batteries,  (eight  guns,)  and  May's  dragoons,  that  is,  all  the 

2 


18 

troops  that  had  ever  been  in  battle,  to  Saltillo,  five  miles  further  in  the 
rear  :  thus  leaving  Wool,  with  8,000  raw  troops,  to  meet  the  enemy 
pouring  down  from  Agua  Nueva,  flushed  with  supposed  victory,  capturing 
wagons,  and  driving  before  them  the  American  advanced  guard.  Wool 
knowing  his  ground,  promptly  set  to  work  to  stem  the  enemy's  advance. 

The  farm  of  Buena  Vista  is  five  miles  from  Saltillo,  on  the  road  to  Agua 
Nueva,  which  runs  through  a  narrow  valley,  formed  by  two  ranges  of 
mountains.  A  branch  of  the  river  Tigre  flows  through  this  valley  ;  and  one 
mile  and  a  half  in  advance  of  Buena  Vista,  is  the  pass  of  Angosturo.  On 
the  right  of  this  pass,  and  between  it  and  the  mountains,  the  river  had 
worn  a  net-work  of  deep  channels,  which  were  impassable  for  any  troops. 
On  the  left  of  the  pass  were  a  succession  of  plateaux  separated  by  deep 
ravines,  and  forming  tongues  of  land,  stretching  from  the  mountains  to  the 
road.  The  most  elevated  of  these  tongues  approach  the  road  the  nearest, 
and  form,  with  the  river,  the  pass  La  Angosturo. 

The  whole  American  army  consisted  of  the  following  troops : 

UNITED    STA.TES    ARMY — FEBRUARY   22. 
Companies.'  Numbers.  Sick  and  absent.  With  the  colors. 

1st  Dragoons, 2 Steen 133 15 118 

2d    "     2. ...May 76 — 76 

3d  Artillery, 2.... Bragg— Sherman 150 1 149 

4th       "     "    1 Washington  &  O'Brien..  117 6 Ill 

Regulars 476  22  444 

Arkansas  cavalry,...  10 Yell 479 62 417 

Kentucky    "       7 ....  Marshall 330 43 288 

Mississippi  riflee, 8 Davies 368 10 358 

2d  Kty.  infantry, ..  .10 M'Kee 571 27 544 

1st  Indiana, 10 Lane 603 70 533 

2d         "        10....  Bowles 650 65 585 

1st  Illinois, 8 Hardin 580 32 548 

2d       "          8 Bissel 573 48 525 

Texas  volunteers,..  .1.... Conner 61 4 57 

Spy  company 1 ....  M'Culloch 27 27 

Total  volunteers, 4,283 360 3,933 

Grand  total, 4,759 382 4,377 

Of  these,  four  Illinois  companies,  290  men,  and  Webster's  artillery,  80 
men,  making  together  370,  were  at  Saltillo,  and  Taylor  had  taken  thither 
the  2d  dragoons,  the  od  artillery,  and  Davis's  regiment,  together  547 
men  ;  deducting  these  917,  leaves  3,016  men  with  Wool  under  arms. 

As  soon  as  Taylor  left,  Wool  ordered  Hardin  to  throw  up  a  parapet  on 
the  right  and  left  of  the  road,  and  also  one  across  the  road,  where  Wash 
ington's  battery  of  eight  pieces  was  stationed,  and  that  was  the  key  of  the 
position.  Santa  Anna  having  passed  Agua  Nueva  in  the  night,  was  be 
fore  Angostura  early  in  the  morning  of  the  22d.  Wool  notified  Taylor, 
who  was  at  Saltillo,  of  Santa  Anna's  approach.  He  also  marched  his  troops 
forward,  and  occupied  the  pass.  Directly  in  rear  of  Washington's  battery, 
was  Col.  M'Kee's  2d  Kentucky  regiment;  on  the  right,  two  companies 
of  the  1st  Artillery  ;  on  the  left  of  the  battery,  six  companies  1st  Illinois, 
Col.  Hardin  ;  on  the  left  of  M'Kee  the  2d  Illinois,  Col.  Bissell ;  Gen.  Lane, 
with  the  Indiana  Brigade,  was  on  the  left,  rear  of  the  2d  Illinois,  with  Steen's 
dragoons  in  its  rear;  Marshall  and  Yell  were  with  Gorman's  rifles  towards 
the  mountain  on  the  left.  After  all  these  dispositions  were  made,  Taylor, 
at  10  o'clock  on  the  22d,  arrived,  and  pronounced  "  the  army  in  a  position 


19 

of  remarkable  strength."  He  brought  back  with  him  six  Mississippi  com 
panics,  and  Sherman  and  Bragg's  batteries  of  7  pieces,  having  left 
one  gun  to  guard  his  camp  at  Arispa's  Mills,  one  mile  from  Saltillo, 
with  two  companies  of  the  Mississippi  regiment.  On  his  arrival, 
Wool  rode  along  the  line,  reminding  the  soldiers  that  it  was  Washington's 
birthday,  and  "  he  trusted  no  American  soldier  would  disgrace  it."  The 
troops  responded  with  great  enthusiasm.  At  11  o'clock,  Gen.  Taylor  re 
ceived  from  Santa  Anna  a  summons  to  surrender,  stating  that  he  was  sur 
rounded  with  20,000  men.  This  was  declined,  of  course,  and  soon  after 
the  light  troops  of  Ampudia  were  seen  to  ascend  the  mountain  on  the  left. 
Wool  immediately  ordered  Marshall,  with  Yell's  dragoons  and  Gorman's 
rifles,  to  meet  and  check  the  movement.  At  the  same  time  Gen.  Taylor, 
by  some  strange  fatality,  ordered  M'Kee's  regiment,  with  two  pieces  of 
Bragg's  battery,  and  Pike's  squadron,  across  the  gullies  to  the  right,  a  dis 
tance  of  two  miles,  over  a  most  difficult  route.  Knowing  the  impracticable 
nature  of  the  ground,  Santa  Anna  paid  no  attention  to  the  movement. 
Three  of  Washington's  pieces,  and  Bowie's  Indiana  regiment,  had  been  also 
detached  to  the  left.  Having  thus  weakened  the  centre,  and  placed  M'Kee 
hors  du  combat,  in  case  of  a  vigorous  attack  of  the  enemy,  at  the  close  of 
the  day,  Gen.  Taylor  says  in  his  report : 

"  I  became  convinced  that  no  serious  attack  would  be  made  before  the  next 
morning,  and  returned  with  the  Mississippi  regiment  and  the  2d  dragoons  to 
Saltillo,  thus  leaving  the  battle  ground  in  charge  of  General  Wool." 

The  troops  bivouacked  on  the  field,  and  slept  on  their  arms. 
The  night  was  stormy  and  intensely  cold,  and  in  the  course  of  it,  the 
enemy  reinforced  Ampudia  in  the  mountains,  with  2,000  infantry.  At  2 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  American  pickets  were  driven  in.  At  dawn  of 
day  Ampudia  again  attacked  the  left,  and  was  successfully  met  by  Marshall, 
with  Gorman's  rifles.  These  WTool  reinforced  with  Trail's  Illinois  ri 
fles.  At  this  moment,  viz.,  dawn  of  day,  Santa  Anna  organized  three 
columns,  one  under  Villamil,  to  attack  Washington's  battery  by  the 
road,  and  two  others  under  Pacheco  and  Lombardini,  to  force  the  Ameri 
can  left,  and  then  join  Villamil,  on  the  Saltillo  road.  At  the  same  time  he  es 
tablished  a  battery  of  three  pieces  under  the  mountain,  800  yards  from  the 
American  left.  To  meet  this  storm,  Wool  had  less  than  3,000  men. 
Thus  there  were  at  Saltillo  370  men  ;  and  Taylor  further  disposed  of  the 
following  : 

Marched  to  Saltillo,  the  only  troops  that 

hud  ever  been  iu  battle.  Marched  to  the  right. 


Davis, 358 

Bragg,  one  gun, 20 

May's  troops, 70 

Men,..  ..448 


M'Kee 544 

Bragg,  2  pieces,. . 50 

Pike's  squadron, 150 

Men,.... 744 


Together  make  1,562  men,  leaving  Wool  in  hand  2,815  men,  with 
which  to  meet  twenty  thousand  Mexicans. 

Thus  the  small  army  of  4,600  was  divided  into  three  parties,  and  Wool 
met  the  storm  as  best  he  might.  At  7  A.  M.  Villamil  attacked  by  the 
road,  and  was  repulsed  by  the  most  wonderful  calmness  and  precision  of 
firing  by  Washington's  battery.  They  were  so  roughly  handled,  that 
they  never  renewed  the  attack.  At  the  same  time  Pacheco  and  Lombardini 
attacked  the  left  centre.  Here  they  encountered  Lane  with  Bowles,  2d 
Indiana,  O'Brien's  artillery,  3  pieces,  Bissell'.i  2d  Illinois,  and  Sherman's  bat 
teries.  They  were  repulsed  with  great  loss,  and  the  new  corps  dispersed. 
At  the  moment  of  the  dispersion  of  these  corps,  Lane  ordered  an  advance, 


20 

and  Bowles,  of  the  2d  Indiana,  ordered  a  change  of  position,  which  pro 
duced  panic  and  flight  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  men.  In  vain  the  gallant 
Bowles  and  Lane  strove  to  remedy  the  disaster.  The  opening  left  by  the 
departure  of  the  regiment  was  seized  upon  by  Santa  Anna,  who  promptly 
organized  and  thrust  in  a  new  column,  which  broke  the  American  line, 
compelling  O'Brien  to  change  position,  by  which  he  lost  a  piece.  The 
Mexicans  poured  in  upon  the  plateau,  converging  towards  Washington's 
battery  in  great  force.  They  were  gallantly  met  by  the  2d  Illinois,  part 
of  the  1st  Illinois,  Sherman's  battery,  and  M'Kee's  Kentuckians,  which  had 
with  incredible  exertion  been  recalled  by  Gen.  Wool  from  its  idle  position 
on  the  right,  where  it  had  been  ordered  by  Gen.  Taylor,  but  it  was  a  long 
and  difficult  march  back.  This  united  force  drove  the  Mexicans  back  to 
the  mountains  with  great  loss,  but  several  thousands  passed  to  the  Amer 
ican  left  and  rear. 

At  this  moment  Taylor  got  back  from  Saltillo  with  May's  squadron,  hav 
ing  left  the  Mississippi  regiment  to  follow.  These  were  the  first  three  attacks. 
Washington's  batteries  repulsed  one  ;  the  second,  by  the  left  centre  under 
General  Lane ;  and  the  last  was  repulsed  by  Wool's  bringing  from  the 
right,  and  uniting  with  the  others,  the  Kentucky  regiment,  where  it 
had  been  so  erroneously  sent  the  night  before.  If  Wool  had  had  that 
regiment  in  hand  to  support  the  Indianians,  the  Mexicans  would 
never  have  got  upon  the  plateau,  and  the  battle  would  have  been  ter 
minated  in  a  victory,  before  Taylor  returned  from  Saltillo.*  Or  even  had 
Taylor  not  kept  the  Mississippi  regiment  uselessly  marching  and  counter 
marching,  but  left  it  where  it  wanted  to  be,  viz.,  to  meet  the  enemy,  no  dis 
aster  would  have  occurred.  He  marched  that  regiment  from  Agua  Nueva 
to  Saltillo  on  the  21st,  from  Saltillo  to  Angostura  and  back  to  Saltillo  on 
the  22d,  and  again  to  Angostura  on  the  23d.  That  is  to  say,  the  regiment 
marched  40  miles  without  any  object,  and  returned  just  in  time  to  meet 
the  Mexican  rupture  on  the  American  left. 

As  we  have  seen,  when  Taylor  arrived,  Wool  having  forced  the  Mexicans 
to  the  mountains,  he  then  hastened  after  the  retreating  Indianians.  He  over 
took  Lane,  Bowles  and  Gorman  wounded,  and  hastened  in  the  direction  of 
Buena  Vista.  At  half  distance  he  met  the  Mississippi  regiment  coming  up. 
Col.  Davis  and  Wool  succeeded  in  rallying  some  of  the  Indianians  behind  the 
Mississippians,  and  they  charged  the  advance  of  the  column  of  Mexicans  who 
had  escaped  to  the  rear,  and  forced  them  to  the  mountains.  At  the  same  time 
Torrejon,  with  a  body  of  lancers,  outflanked  the  Mississippians  and  attacked 
Buena  Vista,  whence  they  were  driven  partly  over  the  mountains  by  the 
cavalry  of  Marshall  and  Yell,  and  the  rifles  of  Trail  and  Gorman.  Many 
of  them  regained  the  column  in  front  of  the  Mississippians.  At  this  juncture 
Wool  brought  up  the  3d  Indianians,  some  of  the  rallied  2d  Indianians.  and 
Kilburn's  piece  of  artillery  ;  these  being  joined  by  Sherman  and  Bragg  with 
five  pieces,  drove  back  the  Mexicans  with  great  vigor.  At  this  moment, 
General  Taylor,  with  singular  fatality,  again  played  into  the  hands  of  the 
Mexicans.  Santa  Anna,  to  save  that  column  from  the  blows  of  Wool, 
sent  a  flag  to  Taylor  to  know  "  what  he  wanted."  Although  the  Mexicans 
never  ceased  firing,  General  Taylor  entertained  the  flag,  and  sent  Wool 
to  meet  Santa  Anna.  Although  General  Wool  remarked  that  the  officers 
denied  that  they  came  with  a  flag,  he  undertook  the  mission  of  course, 
but  on  reaching  the  battery  of  the  Mexicans,  as  they  refused  to  cease  fire, 

*  Vide  report  of  the  Mexican  Engineer. 


21 

he  terminated  the  parley  and  returned  without  seeing  Santa  Anna.  After 
reporting  the  result  of  his  mission  to  General  Taylor,  he  returned  to  the 
left,  and  with  the  Mississippi  and  3d  Indiana  regiments,  and  Sherman's  arid 
Bragg's  batteries,  set  to  work  to  repair  lost  time  by  renewing  the  action  ; 
and  pursuing  the  Mexicans  with  great  havoc,  forced  them  to  the 
mountains,  where  some  2,000  dismayed  Mexicans  became  huddled 
together  in  the  recess  of  the  mountain.  At  this  moment  General 
Taylor  was  seized  with  compassion  for  the  Mexicans,  "  and  to  save 
human  life,"  sent  Mr.  Crittenden,  a  volunteer  aid,  to  demand  a  surrender  of 
the  Mexicans  thus  huddled  together  in  great  confusion,  and  which  Captain 
Bragg  refers  to  in  his  report  of  the  part  he  acted.  The  troops  were  ordered 
to  cease  firing,  "and  the  Mexicans  with  the  flag  made  their  escape,  and  re 
gained  the  plateau."  As  the  retreating  column  came  upon  the  plateau, 
Haidin,  Bissel  and  McKee  sent  it  flying  towards  the  Mexican  lines  with 

freat   havoc.      General   Taylor    was    absent    at    this    critical   moment. 
Ie  says,   "  I  had  left  the  plateau  for  a  moment,  when  I  was  recalled 
thither  by  a  heavy  musketry  fire." 

Now,  what  had  happened  in  this  "  moment  ?"  Santa  Anna  had  formed 
all  his  reserves  behind  the  plateau,  and  as  the  Americans  drove  the  rescued 
column  before  them,  Santa  Anna  fell  upon  them  with  his  whole  line,  and 
overwhelmed  the  American  centre,  driving  them  before  him.  This  was  the 
crisis  of  the  battle,  and  it  was  saved  by  Wool,  who,  foreseeing  the  play  of 
the  Mexicans,  as  soon  as  Taylor  had  allowed  the  Mexican  column  to  escape 
from  the  left,  hurried  Sherman  and  Bragg's  batteries,  with  the  Missis- 
sippians  and  the  3d  Indianians,  to  the  right.  We  may  let  Taylor  describe 
what  followed  himself: 

"  I  had  left  the  plateau  for  a  moment,  when  I  was  called  hither  by  a  very  heavy 
musketry  fire ;  on  regaining  that  position,  I  discovered  that  our  infantry  (Illinois 
and  Kentucky)  had  engaged  a  greatly  superior  force  of  the  enemy,  evidently  his 
reserves,  and  that  they  had  been  overwhelmed  by  numbers.  The  moment  was 
most  critical.  Captain  O'Brien,  with  two  pieces,  had  sustained  this  heavy  charge 
to  the  very  last,  and  was  finally  obliged  to  leave  his  guns  on  the  field,  his  infantry 
support  being  entirely  routed.  Captain  Bragg,  who  had  just  arrived  from  the  left, 
was  ordered  at  once  into  battery,  without  any  infantry  to  support  him ;  and, 
at  the  imminent  risk  of  losing  his  guns,  this  officer  came  immediately  into  action, 
the  Mexican  line  being  a  few  yards  from  the  muzzle  of  his  pieces.  The  first  dis 
charge  of  canister  caused  the  enemy  to  hesitate ;  the  second  and  third  drove  him 
back  in  disorder,  and  saved  the  day." 

The  Mexicans  were  driven  back,  but  made  a  show  of  returning.  Gen. 
Wool  rallied  all  the  troops  on  the  plateau,  and  concentrated  them  to  meet 
him.  But  the  attack  was  not  renewed.  Whilst  this  contest  was  going 
on  at  Buena  Vista,  Minon  with  2,000  cavalry  attacked  Saltillo  ;  but  was 
repulsed  by  means  of  the  arrangements  previously  made  by  Wool  in  that 
view. 

It  was  confidently  expected  that  the  enemy  would  attack  again  the 
next  day.  Generals  Taylor  and  Wool  occupied  the  same  tent — the  for 
mer  slept,  while  the  latter  was  occupied  the  whole  night  with  orders  and 
supplies.  At  dawn  he  mounted  his  horse  to  reconnoitre,  and  discovering 
the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  announced  the  fact  to  the  troops,  and  reported 
it  to  Taylor. 

That  which  presents  itself  most  forcibly  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  on 
reviewing  the  facts  of  the  battle,  is  the  universal  agency  of  Gen.  Wool. 


22 

He  foresaw  all,  planned  all,  and  performed  all,  and  his  foresight  remedied 
the  mistakes  which  the  mental  inactivity  of  Taylor  caused  him  to  com 
mit.  First,  the  army  was  three  weeks  at  Agua  Nueva  "before  Gen.  Tay 
lor  ascertained  that  a  battle  could  not  be  fought  there  safely,  and  became 
convinced  of  what  Wool  saw  at  a  glance  sixty  days  previously,  viz.,  that 
Angostura  was  the  point  to  fight.  When  concluded  upon  retreating  in 
face  of  the  enemy,  he  left  Wool  with  the  raw  troops  to  meet  the  Mexi 
cans,  and  took  all  the  veterans  with  him  to  Saltillo.  For  what  reason  he 
went  to  Saltillo,  has  never  been  explained.  He  says  himself,  generally 
"  to  look  after  its  defences."  But  Wool  had  put  it  in  a  state  of  defence 
thirty  days  previously ;  and  Gen.  Taylor  in  those  visits  made  no  change  in 
those  arrangements  of  Wool ;  but  Minon  was  repulsed  by  Webster  on  the 
instructions  issued  by  Wool  to  Major  Warren.  If  there  had  been  defences 
to  look  after,  it  was  not  the  business  of  the  Commander-in-chief  to  leave  a 
battle  field  to  look  after  them — he  should  have  sent  another.  When  he 
returned,  he  found  the  troops  in  line  of  battle.  He  pronounced  "  the 
position  very  strong."  And  all  that  he  did,  was  to  order  McKee's  Ken- 
tuckians  two  miles  to  the  right,  to  a  position  where  it  was  impossible  for 
the  enemy  to  attack.  He  did  so,  because  he  did  not  know  what  Wool 
knew,  viz.,  that  the  nature  of  the  ground  rendered  a  force  there  useless. 
It  was  for  the  same  reason  that  he  remained  so  long  at  Agua  Nueva,  viz., 
that  he  had  neglected  to  reconnoitre.  Thus  he  marched  500  men  ten 
miles  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  weaken  Wool's  line  of  battle.  The 
efficiency  of  the  best  troops  was  immensely  weakened  by  their  long,  use 
less  marches.  He  again  returned  on  the  23d,  only  to  save  the  Mexican 
column  from  the  blows  of  Wool,  by  sending  Crittenden  with  a  flag — giv 
ing  the  enemy  great  advantage.  At  the  final  onset  he  was  absent  from 
the  field,  when  the  battle  was  saved  only  by  the  foresight  of  Wool. 
Twice  the  battle  of  Wool  was  marred  by  the  inopportune  orders  of  Tay 
lor,  involving  great  loss  of  American  life. 

As  we  have  seen,  on  General  Wool  devolved  the  duty  of  creating  the 
army  which  won  that  victory.  Volunteers  submit  to  military  restraint  with 
but  a  bad  grace  ;  and  Wool,  who  imposed  those  restraints,  was  the  object 
of  dislike  to  the  troops  until  they  became  soldiers  ;  he  was  then  the  object 
of  their  admiration.  No  man,  without  the  iron  nerve  of  a  Jackson  or  a 
Wool,  would  have  borne  up  so  long  against  this  feeling. 

They  were  at  Buena  Vista  surrounded  by  an  army  of  twenty-four  thousand 
of  the  best  disciplined,  the  most  numerously  officered,  and  the  most  veteran 
army  ever  raised  in  Mexico.  Ten  thousand  of  them,  with  Ampudia,  had 
been  under  fire  at  Monterey,  and  there  were  officers  and  men  who  had 
fought  against  old  Spain,  and  made  civil  war  their  pastime  for  twenty-five 
years.  What  would  have  been  the  fate  of  our  brave  and  devoted  little 
army,  if  discipline  had  been  neglected  ?  Probably  in  one  hour  they  would 
have  been  thrown  into  confusion,  and  then,  if  the  sanguinary  design  of  the 
Suwarrow  of  Mexico  had  been  carried  out,  seconded  by  his  licensed  assas 
sins,  the  infuriated  lancers — and  his  Cossacks,  the  rancheros — who  were 
placed  as  additional  outposts  to  cut  off  every  straggler,  and  were  all  thirst 
ing  for  blood  and  plunder, — not  one  man  of  our  heroic  band  would  have 
survived  to  tell  the  tale  of  horror. 

It  is  not  surprising,  therefore,  that  we  find  not  only  a  change  of  opinion 
as  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  discipline,  but  an  outpouring  of  grateful  ad 
miration  towards  General  Wool,  for  his  steady  determination  in  enforcing 


23 

it,  and  his  admirable  example  in  directing  it  to  the  best  advantage  on  the 
field  of  battle.  He  had  known  battle  fields  before.  But  the  volunteers, 
with  the  exception  of  one  regiment,  had  never  been  under  fire.  He  knew 
that  his  sole  dependence  in  the  hour  of  trial  would  be  from  that  self-con 
fiding  bravery  which  discipline  alone  inspires.  Accordingly  he  had,  from 
the  moment  his  army  was  concentrated  at  San  Antonio,  in  the  latter  part 
of  August,  until  (after  accomplishing  a  march  of  900  miles)  he  presented 
them  in  front  of  Saltillo,  on  the  alarm  of  General  Worth  in  the  latter  part 
of  December,  and  thence  up  to  the  very  day  of  battle,  directed  the  whole 
energies  of  a  long  military  life  to  make  his  column  not  only  the  proudest 
model  of  an  army  in  all  its  appointments,  equipments  and  supplies,  but 
the  best  in  its  discipline  and  military  deportment.  In  this  he  did  succeed, 
but  it  cost  him  his  popularity  with  many  of  the  volunteers.  The  temper 
Jackson  encountered  at  New-Orleans  before  victory,  was  expressed  prior  to 
the  battle  of  Buena  Vista';  They  had  dreamed  not  of  the  hardships  of  drill 
and  subordination,  of  order  and  discipline,  but  of  the  romances  of  military 
marches  and  encampments ;  and  consequently,  as  the  Saltillo  Picket 
Guard  in  its  plain  style  says :  "  No  General  ever  had  so  many  curses  for 
so  few  offences."  But  now,  how  changed  is  the  language  of  the  volunteers  : 

"  I  take  back,"  says  one  of  them  in  an  Arkansas  paper,  "  all  I  have  said 
against  General  Wool."  "Little  as  his  column  liked  him  before  the 
battle,"  says  another,  "they  all  now  admit  that  he  is  a  splendid  general." 
'  General  Wool,"  says  a  third,  (Telegraph  &  Review,  Alton,  April  9, 
1,847,)  "  behaved  most  gallantly,  and  has  earned  all  the  country  can  do 
for  him,  besides  the  respect,  esteem  and  admiration  of  his  brigade,  who, 
before  the  battle,  had  a  long  account  of  what  they  considered  petty  an 
noyances,  treasured  against  him."  HflnCTOft  Libr&T^ 

We  would  offer  the  following  extracts  from  the  reports  of  GenerM 
Taylor  and  other  officers,  relative  to  General  Wool  at  Buena  Vista  : — 

Extract  from  the  first  Report  of  General  Taylor,  dated  February  24, 1847. 

"  I  may  be  permitted  here,  however,  to  acknowledge  my  great  obligations  to 
Brigadier  General  Wool,  the  second  in  command,  to  whom  I  feel  particularly 
indebted  for  his  services  on  this  occasion." 

Again,  in  General  Taylor's  detailed  report  of  the  battle,  dated  March 
6,  1847,, he  says: 

"  To  Brigadier  G-eneral  Wool  my  obligations  are  especially  due.  The  high 
state  of  discipline  and  instruction  of  several  of  the  volunteer  regiments  was 
attained  under  his  command;  and  to  his  vigilance  and  arduous  services  before  the 
action,  and  his  gallantry  and  activity  on  the  field,  a  large  share  of  our  success  is 
justly  to  be  attributed.  During  most  of  the  engagement  he  was  in  immediate  com 
mand  of  the  troops  thrown  back  on  our  left  flank.  I  beg  leave  to  recommend 
him  to  the  favorable  notice  of  the  Government." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  account  given  of  the  battle,  by 
Major  Coffee,  one  of  General  Taylor's  staff: — 

"  General  Wool  led  the  main  body  in  person,  and  was  seen  every  where  rally 
ing  and  encouraging  the  volunteers."  "  The  details  of  the  battle  were  confided 
to  General  Wool,  who  nobly  justified  the  confidence  of  his  commander  and 
brother  veteran  by  the  most  active,  zealous,  efficient,  and  gallant  conduct. 
Throughout  the  whole  action  he  was  constantly  engaged  in  the  disposition  of  our 
forces,  and  in  rallying  them  to  the  onset.  It  is  a  miracle  that  he  escaped  the 
thick  flying  balls  which  thinned  the  ranks  he  was  marshalling.  There  was  but 
one  complaint  made  against  him,  and  that  was,  that  he  exposed  himself  too 
iQuch." 


24 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  General  Lane  to  General 
Wool,  on  leaving  the  country  : — 

BUENA  VISTA,  MEXICO,  May  20,  1847. 

11  DEAR  G-ENERAL, — In  a  few  days  we  are  to  take  up  the  line  of  march  home 
wards,  and  from  my  understanding  of  the  law  I  am  soon  to  be  discharged,  and  I 
greatly  hope  that  the  cause  that  gave  rise  to  my  appointment  may  soon  cease  to 
exist.  A  speedy  and  honorable  peace  with  this  country  is  much  desired  by  every 
American  citizen. 

"But,  my  dear  general,  I  cannot  think  of  parting  with  you  without  expressing 
my  high  opinion  of  your  great  worth  as  a  military  man.  During  the  whole  time 
that  I  have  been  under  your  command,  I  have  found  you  prompt,  faithful,  and 
vigilant  in  the  discharge  of  your  duty ;  looking  alone  to  the  good  of  the  service, 
and  the  honor  and  glory  of  your  country. 

"  A  strict  disciplinarian,  you  have  discharged  your  duty  with  ability,  and  an 
impartiality  worthy  a  great  man.  Your  exertions,  as  second  in  command,  at  the 
great  and  glorious  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  moving  to  and  fro  in  every  part  of  the 
field,  watching  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  exposed  to  danger  almost  every 
moment  of  the  day,  ordering  and  disposing  of  our  forces  in  the  best  manner,  to 
meet  and  repulse  the  enemy — by  your  exertions,  coolness,  and  courage  in  gain 
ing  this  victory,  you  have  won  laurels  and  a  fame  that  will  endure  as  long  as  the 
traces  of  American  history  shall  exist. 

"  Hoping  that  you  may  live  long  to  enjoy  the  thanks  of  a  grateful  people, 
I  remain,  Sir,  your  most  obedient  and  humble  servant, 

(Sd.)  JOSEPH  LANE,  Brig.  Gen." 

The  Illinois  Volunteers  wrote  to  General  Wool,  as  follows : — 

"BRAZOS  SANTIAGO,  June  23,  1847. 

BRIG.  GEN.  WOOL, — The  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  1st  regiment  Illinois  volun 
teers,  on  the  eve  of  leaving  Mexico  for  their  homes,  would  do  violence  to  their 
own  feelings,  did  they  not  tender  to  their  immediate  commanding  general  a  testi 
monial  of  their  regard.  Upon  entering  the  service  a  year  since,  they  were  not 
prepared  to  appreciate  the  importance  of  discipline  and  drill,  and  consequently 
complained  of  them  as  onerous  and  unnecessary, — complaints  were  loud  and 
many. 

"  Their  judgment  convinced,  these  feelings  have  undergone  a  change,  and  they 
now  thank  you  for  your  untiring  exertions  to  make  them  useful  to  their  country, 
and  a  credit  to  the  state. 

"  Whatever,  sir,  of  service,  we  may  have  done  our  common  country,  or  what 
ever  of  honor  we  may  have  done  the  state  of  Illinois,  to  General  J.  E.  Wool  is 
due  the  credit.  You,  Sir,  brought  your  column  into  the  field  well  provided  for 
and  disciplined,  and  fought  them  well  when  you  got  them  there  ;  and  should  our 
country  ever  again  need  our  services  in  the  field,  it  would  be  our  proudest  wish 
to  again  meet  the  enemy  under  the  command  of  one,  in  whose  energy,  watchful 
ness  and  courage,  we,  and  the  whole  army,  have  the  most  unlimited  confidence. 
"  With  the  best  wishes  for  your  future  fame  and  happiness,  on  the  part  of  the 
regiment,  we  beg  leave  to  subscribe  ourselves  your  friends. 

(Sd.)  W.  WEATHERFORD, 

Col  1st  Reg't  Illinois  VoTs. 
W.  B.  WARREN, 

Lieut.  Colonel. 
and  forty  company  and  staff  officers." 

In  relation  to  General  Wool's  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  S.  lioane,  of  the  Arkansas  Volunteer  Cavalry,  says, 
in  his  report — 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  23d,  the  position  of  my  command  was  designated  by 
our  gallant  general  himself,  to  whose  cool  and  heroic  courage,  military  judgment 
and  commanding  genius,  I  would  add  my  humble  testimony." 


25 

Major  A.  F.  Morrison,  of  the  Illinois  Volunteers,  in  a  letter  to  his 
Excellency,  Governor  Whitcomb,  relating  to  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista, 
says,  that 

"  General  Wool  was  next  in  command,  and  most  diligently  and  valiantly  at 
tended  to  every  department  of  the  engagement.  He  is  a  brave  and  competent 
officer,  and  merits  the  gratitude  of  his  countrymen  for  his  services  on  this  great 
occasion." 

Captain  Pike,  a  friend  of  General  Taylor,  in  his  sketch  of  the  battle, 
says, 

"  G-eneral  Wool  has  gained  great  credit.  He  made  all  the  dispositions  for  the 
battle.  He  was  cool,  calm,  and  composed,  and  exhibited  the  most  quiet  and 
unpretending  bravery." 

Carleton,  in  his  work  on  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  says, 

"  Wherever  the  fury  of  the  battle  was  greatest,  there  was  General  Wool,  riding 
from  point  to  point,  encouraging  and  stimulating  the  men  to  still  greater 
exertions." 

General  Wool,  in  his  report  of  the  battle,  says, 

"  I  cannot  close  my  report  without  expressing,  officially  and  formally,  as  I  have 
heretofore  done  personally,  to  the  Major  General  commanding,  the  feelings  of 
gratitude  I  have  for  the  confidence  and  extreme  consideration  which  have  marked 
all  his  acts  towards  me,  which  has  given  me  additional  motives  for  exertion,  and 
increased  zeal  in  the  execution  of  the  responsible  duties  with  which  I  have  been 
charged." 

In  a  letter  to  the  Hon.  John  A.  Dix,  General  Wool  speaks  of  General 
Taylor,  as  follows : — 

"  Of  all  the  men  I  have  ever  seen  in  battle,  he  appeared  the  most  calm.  His 
cool  and  determined  bravery,  sound  mind  and  judgment,  which  never  forsakes 
him,  even  in  the  most  critical  moments,  will  ever  command  my  admiration.  His 
brilliant  achievements  from  Palo  Alto  to  the  termination,  at  Buena  Vista,  will  be 
appreciated  by  a  magnanimous  and  generous  people." 

Letters  of  the  same  import,  and  some  perhaps  stronger,  were  written 
to  the  Hon.  Francis  Baylies,  Daniel  Webster,  John  Bell,  William  C. 
Rives,  Lewis  Cass,  Joshua  A.  Spencer,  General  O.  Clark,  of  New- York, 
and  many  others ;  and  in  no  letter,  public  or  private,  touching  General 
Taylor's  conduct,  has  General  Wool  ever  said  less. 

Colonel  Jefferson  Davis  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  a  similar  letter,  to 
General  Gibson,  in  the  following  terms  : — 

"SALTILLO,  25th  March,  1847. 

"  MY  DEAR  GENERAL, — I  have  just  read  with  great  pleasure  the  copy  of  your 
letter  to  General  Gibson,  which  you  did  me  the  honor  to  send  me  this  morn 
ing. 

"  It  shall  be  preserved  for  the  use  permitted,  and  be  assured,  under  circum 
stances  requiring,  that  it  will  give  me  great  pleasure  thus  to  apply  it. 

In  these  times  of  petty  jealousy  and  ignoble  strife  for  public  approbation,  it  is 
quite  refreshing  to  see  one  so  prominent  in  the  scenes  you  describe,  forgetting 
himself  to  sustain  and  commend  his  commander. 

"  With  assurances  of  my  regard, 

I  am,  cordially,  yours, 

(Sd.)  JEFF.  DAVIS." 

In  looking  back  at  the  results  of  Wool's  march,  the  moral  influence  of 
it  was  immense  :  as  Taylor  advanced  on  his  line  of  operations,  the  people 


26 

deserted  their  homes,  flocked  to  the  mountains,  and  became  guerillas,  with 
which  the  country  swarmed,  becoming  daily  more  formidable.  The  ad 
vance  of  Wool,  holding  his  men  in  admirable  discipline,  calmed  the  fears 
of  the  people.  They  soon  found  that  the  Americans  committed  no  outrage, 
paid  for  what  they  had,  protected  them  from  the  Indians,  and  introduced 
strict  justice  into  the  courts.  General  Wool  ascertained  also,  that  the 
guerillas  remained  under  arms  through  fear.  He  promptly  proclaimed 
amnesty  to  those  who  were  peaceable.  The  consequence  was,  an  immediate 
return  of  the  people  to  their  houses,  and  the  guerilla  chiefs  found 
themselves  without  supporters.  This  was  "  conquering  a  peace." 

He  pacificated  the  country  on  Taylor's  flank,  and  gave  an  example  which 
stamps  with  infamy  and  incapacity  the  operations  of  Wellington  in  the 
Peninsula  ;  whose  ability  manifested  itself  in  brutal  conduct  and  abusive 
speech.  Having  relieved  Taylor  from  fears  of  the  rising  of  the  people  on 
his  flank  and  rear,  Wool  appeared  in  front  with  an  efficient  column,  with 
out  the  aid  of  which,  Taylor  must  have  retreated,  when  Scott  drew  from 
him  the  regular  troops.  The  volunteers,  who  had  made  the  loudest  com 
plaints  against  Wool  for  what  they  thought  harsh  discipline,  expressed  to 
him  personally  their  deep  regrets  for  their  conduct,  and  offered  to  follow 
him  the  world  over. 

It  may  be  remarked,  that  notwithstanding  the  many  attacks  which  have 
been  made  upon  Gen.Wool  gratuitously  by  the  friends  of  Gen.  Taylor,  that 
Gen.  Wool,  with  great  magnanimity,  has  never  replied,  directly  or  indi 
rectly,  or  in  any  degree  detracted  from  the  merits  of  the  Commander-in- 
Chief. 

The  unscrupulous  zeal  of  many  of  Gen.  Taylor's  friends,  have  induced 
them  from  time  to  time  to  attack  Gen.  Wool,  seemingly  from  fear  that 
the  merits  of  that  officer  should  interfere  with  their  claims  on  behalf  of 
Gen.  Taylor.  It  has  been  matter  of  surprise  in  some  quarters,  that  no  reply 
has  ever  been  made  to  those  slanders.  But  Gen.  Wool  seems  uniformly 
to  have  resisted  the  desire  of  his  friends  to  see  justice  done  him  in  that 
respect.  Content  with  having  well  served  his  country,  he  would  not  con 
descend  to  defend  his  own  claims  from  mercenary  detractors.  He  was  too 
magnanimous  to  ever  interfere  with  the  civil  triumphs  of  a  brother  officer. 

Gen.  Wool  having  been  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Brevet  Major-General 
for  distinguished  and  gallant  conduct  at  Buena  Vista,  continued  in  com 
mand  at  Saltillo  until  November  25,  1847,  when  Gen.  Taylor  left  for  the 
United  States,  and  the  whole  command  devolved  upon  Wool,  and  so  con 
tinued  until  June  5,  1848,  when  the  Commissioners,  Sevier  and  Clifford, 
communicated  to  Gen.  Wool  official  notice  of  the  termination  of  the  war. 
The  army  was  then  put  in  motion.  The  general  leaving  Monterey  June  20, 
reviewed  the  troops  at  Matamoras,  July  4. 

Gen.  Wool  arrived  at  Brazos  St.  Jago,  in  Texas,  in  July  ;  and  on  the 
20th,  visited  Point  Isabel,  where  he  was  received  with  the  usual  military 
honors.  On  the  26th  of  July,  he  embarked  in  a  steamboat  for  New-Or 
leans,  where  he  arrived  on  the  first  of  August,  and  was  visited  by  the  gov 
ernor  and  suite,  and  other  distinguished  citizens.  On  the  2d,  he  left  for 
Cincinnati,  where  he  arived  on  the  12th,  and  on  the  17th  reached  Wash 
ington. 

General  Wool  arrived  in  the  city  of  New- York  on  the  18th  of  August, 
where  he  was  received  by  the  Citizens'  Corps,  commanded  by  Colonel 
Pierce,  and  a  committee  of  one  hundred  citizens  from  Troy.  On  the 


27 

morning  of  the  19th,  he  was  escorted  by  the  New-York  City  Guards,  the 
•Troy  Citizens'  Corps,  and  a  committee  of  one  hundred,  to  the  steamboat 
Hendrick  Hudson,  which  the  Trojans  had  chartered  to  conduct  the  general 
to  their  city  and  his  home.  On  his  way  up  the  river  the  general  was 
frequently  cheered,  as  he  passed,  by  the  citizens  on  the  shore ;  and  espe 
cially  at  Ponghkeepsie,  Albany,  and  West  Troy.  Oh  his  arrival  at  Troy, 
he  was  greeted  enthusiastically  by  the  whole  people,  who  had  assembled 
to  receive  him.  So  great  and  dense  was  the  assemblage  on  the  docks, 
and  in  the  streets,  that  several  hours  elapsed  before  he  reached  his  resi 
dence,  where  he  was  affectionately  received  by  his  family  and  friends. 

The  city  of  Troy  presented  him  with  a  sword,  in  testimony  of  her  share 
of  the  nation's  gratitude;  and  on  this  occasion  "General  Wool,  standing 
alone,  erect  and  dignified,  his  whitened  locks  apparently  holding  dispute 
with  features  upon  which  powers  of  endurance  seemed  written,"  made  the 
following  reply  : 

Friends,  Fellow- Citizens,  and  Soldiers: 

On  my  return  from  the  war  in  Mexico,  I  find  myself  in  your  midst,  unexpectedly 
in  a  new  sphere  of  action.  I  find  myself  engaged  in  the  delightful,  but  difficult 
task  of  responding  to  those  spontaneous  outpourings  of  the  heart ;  those  cordial  and 
enthusiastic  receptions  which  have  greeted  me,  since  my  arrival  in  my  native  state. 
I  had  anticipated  a  welcome  from  my  friends ;  but  such  a  welcome  as  I  received 
on  landing  in  this  city,  and  such  as  is  now  indicated  in  this  vast  assemblage,  I 
neither  anticipated,  nor  can  venture  to  claim  for  mere  public  services.  Much  of 
it  can  only  be  ascribed  to  your  partiality,  to  long-standing  associations,  to  the  com 
panions  of  my  youth,  and  the  associates  of  maturer  years,  whom  I  recognize  be 
fore  me,  and  whose  steadiness  of  friendship  and  kindness  has  never  failed  to  cheer 
and  animate  me  in  the  darkest  hour.  Such  friendship  has  bee'n  especially  dear  to 
me  during  my  more  than  two  years'  absence ;  for,  there  have  been  times,  when, 
in  the  full  consciousness  of  directing  all  the  energies  I  possessed  to  the  public 
good  and  the  honor  of  my  country,  I  found  myself  in  situations  where  the  en 
couraging  voice  of  friendship  was  needed  to  cheer  me  under  the  heavy  responsi 
bilities  which  I  was  struggling  to  discharge.  In  the  execution  of  those  duties, 
I  was  sure  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  discontented,  and  of  those  who  could 
not  appreciate  the  necessity  of  discipline.  It  would  not  have  been  difficult  to 
flatter  the  love  of  indulgence  and  of  ease,  and  to  present  the  column  I  had  organ 
ized  and  brought  into  the  field  of  battle,  in  the  garb,  without  the  discipline  of 
soldiers.  But  those  who  were  at  first  most  loud  in  their  complaints,  for  my  re 
fusing  to  listen  to  that  syren  voice  of  popularity  which  would  have  extricated  me 
at  once  from  a  labyrinth  of  unpleasant  service,  were  the  first  in  their  acknow 
ledgments,  when  convinced  by  the  trial  of  a  battle,  of  the  mercy  I  had  shown 
them  in  the  very  rigor  I  exacted  to  prepare  them  for  the  contest. 

To  you,  the  chief  magistrate  of  this  beautiful  and  enterprising  city,  my  home 
and  residence  ;  and  to  you,  the  representative  of  the  voice  of  its  citizens,  I  make 
my  grateful  acknowledgments  for  the  complimentary  manner  in  which  you  have 
been  pleased  to  present  this  splendid  sword,  as  the  common  gift  of  the  city  and  of  its 
citizens  individually.  I  receive  it  with  a  depth  of  gratitude  which  cannot  be  ex 
pressed  by  words.  It  is  the  testimonial  of  my  own  neighbors,  my  countrymen 
at  home.  It  is  the  symbol  of  their  appreciation  of  my  character  as  a  citizen  and 
a  soldier.  Could  ambition  seek  a  higher  reward?  Could  pride  enjoy  a  nobler 
triumph  ?  I  can  truly  say,  that  I  am  more  than  compensated  by  this  magnificent 
presentation  and  reception :  this  warm,  glowing  and  heartfelt  greeting,  for  all 
the  toil,  hardships,  and  dangers  to  which  I  have  been  exposed  since  I  entered 
upon  the  duties  that  called  me  to  Mexico. 

The  sword  which  I  have  received,  I  shall  hold  as  the  dearest  gift  of  my  life 
If  our  country  should  again  need  my  services  in  the  field,  and  this  arm  should 


28 

not  become,  by  age,  too  feeble  to  raise  itself  in  vindication  of  the  natural  rights? 
your  confidence,  as  implied  in  this  gift,  shall  be  sustained  to  the  fullest  extent  of 
my  ability. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  follow  the  tenor  of  your  addresses,  by  recapitu 
lating  the  course  of  my  action  in  the  two  wars  to  which  you  have  alluded. 
History  has  recorded  the  events  of  the  first :  the  future  historian  will  embody 
the  materials  of  the  last. 

In  reference,  however,  to  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  to  which  you  have  so 
flatteringly  alluded,  my  services  prior  to,  and  during  that  engagement,  are  suffi 
ciently  noticed  in  the  official  language  of  the  commanding  general,  which  you 
have  quoted;  and  I  agree  with  that  distinguished  officer,  that  " a  soldier's  shave" 
is  all  that  need  be  claimed  in  the  glories  of  that  memorable  conflict. 

Citizen  Soldiers :  It  gives  me  pleasure  to  witness,  this  day,  the  beautiful  order, 
equipment  and  appointment  which  you  have  displayed.  We  are  an  armed  re 
public,  but  our  arms  are  in  our  own  hands.  We  stand  ready  to  defend  the  public 
liberty,  because  it  is  our  own.  The  world  is  awakened  to  the  fact  that  a  citizen- 
soldiery  constitutes  their  own  government,  the  strongest  on  earth.  No  large 
standing  armies  are  here  necessary.  A  small  regular  force,  and  a  sufficient  num 
ber  of  educated  and  experienced  officers,  may  always  be  an  expedient  resource 
to  give  example  and  instruction. 

I  thank  you,  with  a  soldier's  heart,  for  your  attendance  on  this  occasion ;  and, 
on  your  return  to  your  respective  homes,  bear  with  you,  and  to  your  families,  my 
best  wishes  for  your  prosperity  and  happiness. 

And  now,  my  friends,  townsmen,  and  fellow-citizens,  permit  me  to  conclude 
my  part  in  this  interesting  drama,  by  renewing  to  you  all  the  sincerest  expres 
sions  of  my  deep  and  heartfelt  gratitude. 

On  the  10th  of  April,  1848,  the  following  resolutions  were  unanimously 
voted  by  both  branches  of  the  Legislature  of  New- York  : 

Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  Legislature  are  due,  and  are  hereby  tendered 
to  our  distinguished  fellow-citizen,  Brig.  Gen.  John  E.  Wool,  for  his  valor,  skill,  and 
judicious  conduct,  conspicuously  displayed  in  organizing  and  preparing  for  the 
service  of  his  country,  with  unprecedented  rapidity,  more  than  12,000  volunteers, 
in  the  summer  of  1846  ;  in  disciplining  the  column  under  his  command,  during  a 
rapid  march  through  the  enemy's  country;  disarming  the  enemy  by  his  humane 
and  vigilant  observations  of  their  rights ;  in  the  courage  and  good  conduct  dis 
played  in  the  battle  of  Buena  Vista,  his  uniform  gallantry  and  activity  on  the 
field,  and  the  ability  and  success  with  which  he  has  since  discharged  his  arduous 
and  responsible  duties. 

Resolved,  That  the  governor  be,  and  he  is  hereby  requested,  to  procure  a 
sword,  with  suitable  emblems  and  devices,  and  present  it  to  Brigadier-G-eneral 
Wool,  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  this,  his  native  state,  as  a  testimony  of  their 
high  approbation  of  his  services. 

Resolved,  That  the  governor  be,  and  is  hereby  requested  to  cause  the  fore 
going  resolutions  to  be  communicated  to  Brigadier-G-eneral  Wool,  in  such  terms 
as  he  may  deem  best  calculated  to  give  effect  to  the  purposes  thereof. 

The  governor  discharged  the  duty  assigned  him,  by  employing  the 
most  skilful  artists  in  the  city  of  New-York  to  manufacture  a  sword. 
Much  taste  and  judgment  were  displayed  in  the  selection  of  the  emblems 
and  devices,  which  were  appropriate,  and  referred  in  a  striking  manner  to 
the  military  exploits  of  the  New- York  general. 

To  recapitulate  all  the  honors  and  congratulations  bestowed  upon  Gen. 
Wool,  would,  however,  fill  volumes,  and  would  not  come  within  our 
scope.  The  military  progress  of  the  general  may  thus  be  resumed  : 

April  13,  1812— Captain,  13th  regiment  United  States  Infantry. 
October  13, 1812— Major,  29th  regiment,  for  gallant  conduct  at  Queenstown. 
September  1 1,  IB  14 — Lt,  Colonel,  for  gallant  conduct  at  Plattsburgh. 
April,  1816— Colonel  of  Cavalry  and  Inspector  General. 


29 

April  26,  1826— Brevet  Brigadier  General. 

June  25,  1841 — Brigadier  General  in  the  line. 

February  23,  1847 — Brevet  Major-General,  for  gallant  and  distinguished  conduct  at 
Buena  Vista 

In  assuming  the  duties  of  Major-General,  according  to  his  new  rank, 
Wool  applied  himself  with  unrelaxed  energies  to  their  discharge,  without 
in  any  degree  neglecting  those  social  duties  and  interests  which  society 
claims  at  his  hands.  In  September,  1850,  on  the  completion  of  the  mon 
ument  to  Silas  Wright,  at  Weybridge,  Vt.,  Gen.  Wool  delivered  the  ad 
dress,  which  was  enthusiastically  received.  In  the  following  October  he 
received  an  invitation  from  the  Onondaga  Agricultural  Society,  to  attend 
the  Fair  at  Syracuse.  He  was  here  addressed  by  the  Mayor  of  the  city, 
surrounded  by  many  who  remembered  Wool  as  the  wounded  Captain, 
soliciting,  upon  his  first  field,  permission  once  again  to  storm  the  heights  of 
Queenstown,  and  retrieve  the  honor  of  his  country's  flag — men  who  had  fol 
lowed  him  through  the  immortal  resistance  at  Beekmantown,  and  through 
all  his  arduous  career,  to  the  crowning  fight  at  Buena  Vista.  The  response 
of  the  general  was  enthusiastically  cheered.  On  the  15th  February,  1849, 
the  corner  stone  of  the  Troy  Hospital  was  laid,  on  which  occasion  Gen. 
Wool  made  the  address.  On  the  anniversary  of  this  day  in  1850,  the  Hon. 
D.  L.  Seymour  made  an  oration,  of  which  the  conclusion  was  addressed 
to  General  Wool,  in  the  following  strain  : 

"  I  tender  the  congratulations  of  this  occasion  to  him  whose  bounty  has  sus 
tained  and  whose  hands  laid  the  corner-stone  of  this  edifice.  Your  fame,  sir?  had 
already  become  the  common  inheritance  of  your  countrymen.  That  military  re 
putation  which  has  for  upwards  of  thirty  years  been  steadily  rising,  requires,  es 
pecially  since  the  victory  of  Buena  Vista,  no  more  laurels.  It  has  become  a  part 
of  the  imperishable  records  of  our  country's  history,  and  will  live  whilst  our  na 
tion  and  its  name  shall  live.  But  even  the  splendor  of  a  long  and  brilliant  military 
career,  enhanced  should  it  be  by  still  brighter  honors  (as  you  richly  deserve)  at 
the  hands  of  your  grateful  country,  will  not  outshine  this  one  noble  charity  with 
which  your  name  is  identified.  And,  amid  the  thunder  of  popular  applause,  the 
"still  small  voice"  of  the  obscure  and  suffering  sons  of  sorrow,  who  shall  here 
find  relief,  will  be  heard  in  grateful  remembrance  of  their  benefactor." 

In  August,  1851,  on  the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  General  Wool  to  Buf 
falo,  to  review  the  65th  regiment,  the  common  council  determined  to  pay 
a  tribute  of  respect  to  the  "  Hero  of  Queenstown.  Beekmantown,  Platts- 
burgh,  and  Buena  Vista."  After  the  review,  the  general,  escorted  to  the 
hotel,  was  addressed  by  the  Mayor,  and  replied  in  an  admirable  speech, 
which  should  be  written  in  the  hearts  of  all  Americans.  We  append  an 
extract : 

"  But  these  great  improvements  and  advancements  in  civilization,  are  not  limit 
ed  to  Western  New- York.  They  are  to  be  found  everywhere  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  To  what  may  all  these  blessings  be  attributed? 
To  a  kind  Providence,  our  form  of  government  and  free  institutions,  which  leave 
the  people  free  and  unfettered  by  power.  It  is  in  this  country,  and  this  country 
alone,  that  man  is  a  free  agent.  Here  there  is  no  power  to  restrain  him  except 
he  be  guilty  of  crime.  All  his  faculties,  mental  and  physical,  are  at  his  disposal. 
He  walks  abroad  in  his  own  majesty,  and  there  are  none  to  make  him  afraid.  He 
neither  feels  nor  fears  power,  or  those  appointed  to  administer  the  affairs  of 
government.  He  may  travel  from  Maine  to  California  and  Oregon,  and  no  one 
would  have  a  right  ts  ask  him,  "Why  do  you  so  ?"  To  all  which  may  we  not 
attribute  the  advancement  of  the  people  of  the  United  States  in  improvement  and 
civilization  beyond  all  others  ?  And  yet,  with  all  these  unparalleled  privileges 


30 

and  a  prosperity  unknown  to  any  other  people,  we  find  those  among  us  who  are 
not  satisfied.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  we  have  a  few  discontented  spirits 
who  would  diss^ve  this  glorious  Union  established  by  the  sacrifice  of  so  much 
blood  and  treasure,  and  with  it  our  prosperity,  and  forever  blast  the  hopes  of  the 
oppressed  and  liberal  of  the  world.  They  are,  however,  so  few  in  number,  that 
I  do  not  apprehend  any  serious  results  from  any  efforts  on  their  part  to  accom^ 
plish  their  objects.  The  signs  of  the  times,  nevertheless,  are  sufficient  to  admon 
ish  us  that  eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of  liberty.  As  we  are  a  nation  composed 
of  states  or  sovereignties,  with  diversified  interests,  it  ought  not  to  surprise  us  if 
they  should  occasionally  clash.  In  such  a  case,  what  should  be  our  duty  ?  Con 
ciliation  and  harmony,  and  a  strict  adherence  to  the  constitution,  and  faithfully 
carrying  out  all  its  provisions,  at  the  same  time  doing  all  in  our  power  to  prevent 
discontent  and  heart-burnings,  which,  if  encouraged,  will  do  more  than  all  else 
to  endanger  the  Union  and  destroy  our  hopes  and  prosperity." 

In  all  his  replies  to  the  numerous  invitations  with  which  societies,  phi 
lanthropic,  educational,  religious  and  political,  Besiege  him,  the  same  earnest 
strain  of  devoted  patriotism,  ardent  love  of  country,  and  enthusiastic  zeal 
in  the  cause  of  human  liberties  and  progress,  are  manifest.  The  writings 
of  General  Wool,  if  collected  in  a  volume,  would  form  a  book  of  extraor 
dinary  interest  and  value  in  respect  to  the  history  of  the  country.  They 
contain  not  the  mere  dry  detail  of  official  reports,  but  are  fraught  with 
profound  views  and  reasonings  in  relation  to  subjects  of  national  interest ; 
and  they  disclose  the  workings  of  an  intellect  of  a  high  order,  operating 
upon  habits  of  most  extraordinary  industry.  The  general  character  of 
this  able  officer  approaches  nearer  to  that  of  the  immortal  Jackson  than 
that  of  any  public  man  lately  before  the  people.  There  is  the  same  quick 
perception  of  the  truth  in  all  questions  which  present  themselves,  and  the 
same  undeviating  precision  of  purpose  in  reaching  it.  Although  in  the  sphere 
of  duties  in  which  he  has  been  employed  there  has  been  little  room  for  the 
display  of  other  qualities  than  those  of  a  military  character,  yet  the  indi 
cations  are  numerous  in  all  his  movements,  of  civil  qualities  which 
surpassed  even  those  military  ones  that  have  conferred  upon  Wool 
the  high  distinction  of  being  the  only  American  officer  who  has  made 
no  mistake.  That  the  general  ha's  not  hitherto  been  better  known  to  the 
people,  is  because  the  natural  modesty  of  his  character,  satisfied  with  the 
full  discharge  of  his  duty,  obtrudes  not  its  talents  upon  the  public.  He  is 
content  that  another  should  have  the  merit,  if  only  that  the  country  is  well 
served.  That  country  will  not,  however,  discharge  its  duty,  if  its  rewards 
fall  not  on  the  truly  deserving. 


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